Harare drug kingpin convicted over 175kg of cannabis

Notorious drug trafficker Ali Allan Mamudu (55), who was found in possession of a trailer-load of 175kg of mbanje smuggled from Eswatini and headed for Malawi via Zimbabwe, has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing, which has now been set for Wednesday, July 30.

The consignment, intercepted in Masvingo on March 9, 2024, had a street value of US$22,000 and was being transported in a FA Roadlink bus that had successfully cleared Beitbridge Border Post. The bust followed a tipoff received by detectives tracking the consignment's cross-border journey.

Mamudu was convicted alongside Malawian nationals Khumbo Njima and Limbikani Mwanandi (35). However, Speakmore Mhonda (39), a Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) soldier stationed at HQ2 Brigade in Harare, was acquitted after the court found his version of events credible. Mhonda claimed he had been hired by Mamudu's son, Joel, to help transport the consignment to Harare after the bus broke down in Masvingo.

Mhonda's cooperation with authorities led to the arrest of Mamudu and Njima in Harare, although Joel remains on the run. Mhonda was granted bail on March 28, 2025, by High Court Judge Justice Sunsley Zisengwe, after spending 19 days in remand prison.

Mamudu, Njima, and Mwanandi have been in custody since their arrest on March 12. The sentencing, originally scheduled for earlier this week, was postponed to Friday after Mamudu's lawyer, Jivas Mudimu of Mudimu Law Chambers, requested a delay without providing a valid reason. However, Mudimu failed to appear in court on Friday, prompting Magistrate Bepura to postpone the sentencing once more.

"The matter is adjourned to July 30, 2025. If your counsel does not show up, this court will proceed to give sentence," warned Magistrate Bepura.

According to the State's case, Mamudu and Njima were escorting the mbanje consignment in a South African-registered VW Polo, driving behind the FA Roadlink bus. Mwanandi was a passenger aboard the bus. When the bus broke down, Mhonda and Joel drove a Nissan NV350 from Harare to retrieve the mbanje.

Detectives caught Mhonda and Mwanandi in the act of transferring the mbanje into the van. Mamudu, Joel, and Njima fled the scene but were later apprehended in Harare - except for Joel, who remains at large.

Mamudu and Njima are being represented by Mudimu, while Mwanandi is represented by Tafadzwa Mbwachena of Ruvengo Maboke Legal Practitioners. Mhonda was represented by Collen Maboke of the same firm. The State was represented by prosecutor Godknows Mugondo.

Authorities say investigations into Joel's whereabouts are ongoing, as law enforcement intensifies its crackdown on regional drug smuggling syndicates.