By A Correspondent- Judgement in the case in which Pius Jamba Mukandi is accused of killing Citizens Coalition of Change (CCC) activist, Moreblessing Ali in cold blood in June last year has been set for December 4.

High Court judge Esther Muremba said she is still noting the judgment after the State closed its case last week.

Jamba is accused of murdering Ali before he decapitated her body and threw it in a well at his mother’s homestead in Beatrice in June 2022.

The body was later discovered in a decomposing state and is yet to be buried over a year later.

The suspect however denied the allegations during his trial in which seven witnesses testified against him.

His mother Lina Mukandi and his sister Mercy also testified against him.

While he insisted that on the day Ali was killed he had already planned a journey to his mother’s rural home, having already notified her, his mother denied telling the court that she was not aware of her son’s whereabouts.

Jamba also denied killing Ali saying he was sacrificed to ease political tension that pervaded Nyatsime area after the activist was killed.

He also said he was coerced to admit the crime and do indications.

Ali was last seen on May 24 2022 at a Night Club in Nyatsime where she allegedly had an altercation with Jamba.

It is alleged Ali and her friend Mayironi then left Chibhanguza Night Club and were about to head home.

Mayironi was behind Ali and she noticed her friend lying on the ground while Jamba dragged her.

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.

Kirina Mayironi fled back into the Nightclub where other revelers rushed out to investigate what was happening.

The suspect then positioned himself on the other side of Chibhanguza Night Club building which is still under construction.

“He pelted stones from the catapult and threw bricks directed at the night club so that nobody would manage to apprehend him or rescue the now-deceased,” prosecutors alleged.

“The accused took the now deceased from the vicinity of Chibhanguza Night Club to an unknown secluded place

“The accused person struck the deceased using an unknown instrument with the intention to cause her death, he strangled the now deceased using her trousers thereby causing her death.

“The accused then used an unknown instrument to cut the body of the now deceased into three pieces consisting of the upper torso and two legs,” said the State.

The court heard Mukandi then took the dismembered body parts to Plot 321 Dunnotar Farm, Beatrice belonging to his mother Laina Mukandi where he dumped them into a disused well.

Thereafter Jamba went on the run.

Ali’s body was discovered on 11 June 2022 by Mukandi’s mother after a strong stench emanated from the disused well.

Michael Mugabe and Terrence Mukuze are prosecuting.

Jamba is represented by his lawyer Garikai Mhishi. NewZimbabwe