Decorated former High Court of Zimbabwe judge, Justice Moses Chinhengo has died. Masvingo Mirror has it on good authority that Justice Chinhengo breathed his last at Masvingo Provincial Hospital this morning. Judicial Service Commission (JSC) spokesperson, Daniel Nemukuyu said he was yet to receive the news when contacted for a comment.
Justice Chinhengo resigned from the bench in 2009. He had an illustrious career that saw him serve as an acting judge in the Court of Appeals in Lesotho and the Botswana Supreme Court. Justice Chinhengo also served as an Acting High Court Judge in Namibia and he was until July 2025 presiding over a high profile corruption and fraud case in the allocation and use of Namibian fishing quotas.
Here is a timeline of Justice Moses Chinhengo’s career:
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Prior to 1983: Worked as a practising lawyer.
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1983 to 1989: Worked for the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in Zimbabwe, advancing to the position of Chief Law Officer in the Legislative Department.
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Early 1990s to 2004: Served as a Judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe.
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2004: Resigned from the Zimbabwean bench citing executive interference in the judiciary.
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March 2004 to March 2012: Served as a Judge of the High Court of Botswana.
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Served as Acting Judge in the Court of Appeal of Lesotho.
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Served as Acting High Court Judge in Namibia and Botswana Supreme Court at various times.
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Since 2009: Served as a Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), participating in fact-finding missions to Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Swaziland, and Zambia.
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2013: Co-founded the African Institute of Mediation and Arbitration (AIMA) in Harare, Zimbabwe, and became managing director.
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As of 2025 July: Was presiding over a high-profile corruption and fraud case related to Namibian fishing quotas.
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Also served as a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe in the Department of Procedural Law.
Justice Chinhengo was known for his firm stance on judicial independence and professionalism throughout his distinguished career until his recent passing reported in 2025.
