The High Court judge, Justice Esther Muremba, has postponed the judgment in the murder trial of Pius Mukandi, also known as Jamba, who is accused of killing a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Moreblessing Ali, in Nyatsime in May last year. The judgment has been rescheduled for November 27 to allow the prosecutors to file their submissions.
During the trial, Mukandi through his lawyer Garikayi Mhishi, denied killing Ali and claimed that he was framed. He stated that he did not know her and was at his mother’s homestead on the day of the murder. However, a video was submitted as evidence in court, where Mukandi admitted to committing the crime and demonstrated to the police officers how he did it. Mukandi later distanced himself from the video, claiming that he appeared under duress and that the script was rehearsed.
Mukandi also alleged that he was assaulted and threatened with death if he did not admit to the murder charge. He admitted to consuming two bottles of whisky and crystal meth on the day of the alleged murder. Mukandi stated that he had planned a journey to his mother’s rural home months before Ali was murdered. He also told the court that he surrendered himself to the police when they came looking for him in Hurungwe.
Seven witnesses testified in the trial, including Mukandi’s mother, sister, and other individuals. The judgment was initially scheduled for Thursday but was postponed to allow the state to submit closing submissions.
Some Context:
The state claims that on May 24, 2022, at around 10:20 PM, the accused person, Pius Mukandi, was at Chibhanguza Night Club in Nyatsime. Moreblessing Ali, who is now deceased, was with her friend Kirina Mayironi at the club. Mukandi had a catapult with him. According to the state:
1. Ali and Mayironi were leaving the club to go home when Mukandi grabbed Ali.
2. Mayironi tried to save Ali, but Mukandi hit her with a stone from the catapult, causing an open wound on her chin.
3. Mayironi ran back into the nightclub, and other people came out to see what was happening. Mukandi threw stones and bricks at the club to prevent anyone from seizing him or rescuing Ali.
4. Mukandi took Ali to a secluded place where he used an unknown instrument to strike and strangle her, causing her death.
5. He then used an unknown instrument to cut Ali’s body into three pieces – the upper torso and two legs.
6. Mukandi took the dismembered body parts to his mother’s farm, Plot 321 Dunnotar Farm in Beatrice, and dumped them into a disused well.
7. Afterward, Mukandi fled and went into hiding.
Ali’s body was found on June 11, 2022, when Mukandi’s mother noticed a strong smell coming from the decomposing body in the well. A postmortem conducted on June 14, 2022, at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, could not determine the cause of Ali’s death. However, the forensic pathologist concluded that strangulation might have been the cause, and Ali was dismembered after her death.
Mukandi was arrested on June 16, 2022, while he was on the run in Chidamoyo, Hurungwe, in the Mashonaland West Province. He voluntarily showed the police how he kidnapped, assaulted, and killed Ali. He also led them to the scene where he dismembered her body and showed them the knife he allegedly used. Mukandi also led the police to recover Ali’s cell phone, jacket, trousers, shoes, and pants, which were presented as evidence. He was remanded in custody.