HARARE – Pius Jamba Mukandi was on Monday convicted for the May 2022 murder of Citizens Coalition for Change activist Moreblessing Ali, but a judge said her murder was not politically motivated.

Jamba, 33, will be sentenced on December 20.

He had denied murder, claiming that Ali’s body was dumped in his mother’s well to implicate him, but Justice Esther Muremba said the evidence by the prosecution was strong.

“We’re satisfied that the accused is the person who killed Moreblessing Ali because he was the last person to be seen with her. The state witnesses impressed the court as credible witnesses. They gave corroborating evidence,” the judge said at the Harare High Court.

“It is common cause that the accused and Ali interacted and their interaction was not in the positive. It is also common cause that Ali did not go home after drinking at the night club on May 24 and she was never seen alive again.”

As the judge read the judgement, Jamba was raising his hand and shaking it to express vigorous disagreement. At one time he shouted that he failed to challenge some witnesses due to his ignorance of legal processes.

The judge said it was too late for him to argue.

Muremba also said it was also her finding that the death was not politically motivated.

“No evidence was put before the court to confirm that the murder was politically motivated,” she said.

During the trial, the investigating officer Arison Mirimbo said when investigations started some witnesses said Ali was a member of the opposition. They also alleged that Jamba’s cousin Simba Chisango, a Zanu PF district chairman in Nyatsime, had sent thugs to abduct Ali.

Mirimbo however said Ali’s daughter Nyasha confessed that Ali was no longer involved in politics. He also testified that they found no evidence of Chisango’s involvement in Ali’s murder.

Muremba concurred, stating that “no witness mentioned anything to do with politics during their testimonies.”

Ali went missing following a confrontation with Jamba at a nightclub in Nyatsime on the night of May 24, 2022.

Her decomposed body was discovered after a two-week search dumped in a well at the homestead of Jamba’s mother.

Jamba was identified as the person who last interacted with Ali but he had fled to Hurungwe where he was later arrested.

He went on to voluntarily make a warned and cautioned statement outlining how he killed Ali.

The court heard initially they exchanged verbal insults after Jamba kicked Ali’s dog. Minutes later Ali confronted Jamba after he refused to pay for nuts he took from another witness who was a vendor close outside the night club.

Jamba followed her as she left for home and killed her. He cut her body into three pieces and stuffed the body parts in different plastic bags which he threw into the well.

His mother Laina Mukandi discovered the remains and called the police.