Former Acting High Court Judge Moses Chinhengo died at his home in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. His death was announced in a statement by the Judicial Service Commission of Namibia.

Judge Chinhengo was appointed by the late President Hage Geingob in 2023, on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, to specifically preside over the state vs. Ricardo Gustavo and 27 others case, known as the Fishrot Corruption Trial.

In July this year, Chinhengo decided to step down from presiding over the high-profile trial, citing personal reasons. This move came after months of legal contestation by the accused, who had repeatedly sought his recusal.

At the time of his appointment to the Namibian bench, Judge-President Damaseb said that the choice of Judge Moses Chinhengo, renowned for his unwavering commitment to justice and comprehensive legal acumen, reflected Namibia’s firm dedication to upholding justice and the rule of law.

Before presiding over the Fishrot trial, Chinhengo also served as an acting judge of Namibia’s Supreme Court in 2021. He was also a retired justice of the High Court of Botswana and Zimbabwe and was serving as an acting Justice for the Court of Appeal in Lesotho.