A 39-year-old Bulawayo woman was jailed for 25 years on Friday over the murder of Thulisile Dube, who vanished after a night out with friends before being found dead in an abandoned car in August last year.

Musawenkosi Hara denied murder but was convicted after a full trial at the Bulawayo High Court.

Hara wore a blank stare and appeared not bothered as Justice Christopher Dube-Banda handed down the 25-year jail sentence.

Dube’s family welcomed the sentence.

Farai Michael Mutasa, who allegedly strangled Dube, 36, in the backseat of a car, committed suicide days after the brutal murder.

The court heard that Hara and Mutasa believed that Dube, who lived in South Africa and was visiting family in Bulawayo, had up to R2 million from an undisclosed deal she concluded in the neighbouring country. Dube had allegedly intimated to Hara about her financial windfall, and Hara in turn informed her boyfriend Mutasa.

The duo joined Dube and three other friends on a drinking bender at several nightclubs on August 20, ending at Stunts in the city centre at around 4AM the next day.

Dube took the wheel as they dropped off their friends in Nkulumane, Luveve and Cowdray Park before remaining in the car with Hara and Mutasa.

In her defence, Hara sought to blame the murder on Mutasa, insisting she took no part. In testimony which the judge said was “not consistent and contained poor evidence,” Hara claimed that sometime after leaving the last of their friends, Dube stopped the car to relieve herself and Mutasa followed her out of the car.

Hara said Mutasa picked up a stone and hit Dube on the head but she did not die. She said the scuffle was quickly resolved and they continued driving towards the Cowdray Park railway line where Mutasa, who was now driving, parked the vehicle and jumped onto the back seat where he strangled Dube.