Bulawayo woman Jailed 25 years for killing friend over R2 million
A 39-year-old woman from Bulawayo received a 25-year prison sentence on Friday for the murder of Thulisile Dube, who went missing after a night out with friends and was later discovered lifeless in an abandoned car in August last year.
Musawenkosi Hara, who consistently denied the murder charge, was ultimately convicted after a comprehensive trial held at the Bulawayo High Court. Justice Christopher Dube-Banda handed down the 25-year jail sentence with Hara displaying an indifferent demeanor.
Farai Michael Mutasa, the alleged perpetrator who reportedly strangled the 36-year-old Dube in the backseat of a car, took his own life a few days after the heinous act. The court revealed that Hara and Mutasa believed Dube, a South African resident visiting family in Bulawayo, possessed up to R2 million from an undisclosed deal in her home country.
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According to the court proceedings, Dube had shared information about her financial windfall with Hara, who then informed her boyfriend, Mutasa. The tragic incident unfolded during a night of revelry on August 20, involving Dube, Hara, Mutasa, and three other friends at various nightclubs, concluding at Stunts in the city centre around 4 AM the next day.#
Dube took the wheel as they dropped off friends in Nkulumane, Luveve, and Cowdray Park before remaining in the car with Hara and Mutasa. Hara, in her defence, attempted to shift blame onto Mutasa, claiming no involvement in the murder. However, her testimony was deemed inconsistent and lacking credibility by Justice Christopher Dube-Banda.
Hara asserted that after the last drop-off, Dube stopped the car to relieve herself, and Mutasa followed her out. According to Hara, Mutasa hit Dube on the head with a stone, but she did not die. They continued driving towards Cowdray Park, where Mutasa, now driving, parked the car near the railway line and strangled Dube in the back seat.
The couple then drove away with Dube’s lifeless body, refuelled the vehicle in Luveve, and later abandoned the car in the Emganwini suburb, which belonged to Dube’s brother. They used public transport to return to the city centre, where they resumed their drinking spree.
Subsequently, they visited a friend around 9 AM, spending the day drinking. They left at 4 PM but inadvertently left behind stolen items, including a satchel with personal belongings, later identified by Dube’s family. Hara and Mutasa sold Dube’s Samsung S20 phone, financing their continued binge drinking.
Hara was arrested on an unrelated charge on August 22 and released on August 23. She fled to Harare. Police discovered Dube’s lifeless body on August 23, and Mutasa took his own life, leaving a suicide voice note admitting his role in the murder.
The court revealed that Dube did not have the substantial amount of cash her killers believed she possessed during the night of the incident. Dube’s aunt expressed satisfaction with the 25-year sentence but emphasized the irreplaceable loss of life.
She shared that Mutasa’s family had reached out, compensating them with 14 cows. In contrast, Hara’s family, she claimed, had not genuinely engaged them, merely piggybacking on the Mutasa apology.
Hara was represented by Tanaka Rungana of Tanaka Law Chambers.
