Ruling in Moreblessing Ali murder case deferred

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

A HIGH Court judge has deferred judgment in the trial of Pius Jamba Mukandi who is accused of the murder of  Moreblessing Ali in Nyatsime in June last year.

Justice Esther Muremba said yesterday she was still finalising the judgment and will deliver the verdict on December 4. 

Both the State represented by Mr Michael Mugabe and Mr Terrence Mukuze and the defence represented by Garikayi Mhishi have presented their cases, leaving the verdict to the judge and her two assessors.

Mukandi denied the allegations during his trial but the prosecution brought in seven witnesses including his mother, Lina Mukandi, and sister Mercy.

Mukandi in his defence insisted that on the day of the killing he had already planned a journey to his mother’s rural home and had notified her, but his mother told the court that she was not aware of his whereabouts. 

Mukandi denied killing Ms Ali saying he was sacrificed to ease political tension in the Nyatsime area after the activist was killed. 

He said he was forced to admit to the crime and do indications despite not knowing Ms Ali.

Ms Ali was last seen on May 24 last year at a night club in Nyatsime where she allegedly had an altercation with Mukandi and who was later seen by Ms Ali’s friend Kirina Mayironi dragging Ms Ali.

She attempted to save her friend, leading to Mukandi striking her with a stone propelled by a catapult and hitting her chin leaving an open wound.

No one was able to help Ms Ali as Mukandi was throwing stones and he took her to a secluded place where he allegedly struck her using an unknown instrument and strangled her using her trousers thereby causing her death.

He also used an unknown instrument to cut the body of Ali into three pieces consisting of the upper torso and two legs.

The court heard Mukandi then took the disjointed body parts to Plot 321 Dunnotar Farm, Beatrice belonging to his mother where he dumped them in a disused well. He then went on the run.