Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
A MARRIAGE of 31 years ended tragically after 13 in-laws allegedly teamed up to beat a Zhombe man to death, for assaulting their sister in a dispute over beans.
The man’s family has since demanded 32 head of cattle as compensation and the in-laws have paid 15.
Mpendulo Nyoni (55) beat up the mother of his four children, Sichelesile Dube (52) sometime in May 2026 after she allegedly sold some beans from their harvest without notifying him.
Sichelesile fled to her brothers who organised a crew of 13 relatives that started hunting Nyoni down.
Nyoni’s sister Nokuthula told B-Metro her brother started living in a thicket and going home after midnight
As his in-laws were hunting him, travelling in two scotch carts.
“He sent me a message saying he feared for his life and had started living in the bush, surviving on raw sweet potatoes. He said if his in-laws killed him, we should not bury him but we should burn his body,” said Nokuthula.
She said disaster struck on 20 May when the in-laws tracked Nyoni down around midnight.
“They beat him up thoroughly. They broke both his arms and legs and stabbed him several times. They assaulted him at two locations and did rituals at each spot. At one they killed a cock and hen, spilled its blood roasted the meat and left the entrails and heads. At another spot, the disembowelled and goat and did a similar ritual,” she said.
Nokuthula said the 13 looted livestock and other property from the home before leaving a severely injured Mpendulo to die.
Nyoni died on 20 May 2026 and was buried on 26 May 2026.
“We want everyone involved in my brother’s death to be arrested and prosecuted according to Zimbabwean law,” Nokuthula said.
She said her in-laws had stolen her brother’s phone during the assault and the family believed it was done to hide evidence.
“The killing was so gruesome, we wonder what was going through our daughter-in-law’s mind as she watched her brothers beating up her husband of 31 years. They have four children together.
The oldest is 31 years old and the youngest is sitting for form four examinations this year.”
She said their in-laws told police that the people who assaulted Mpendulo had fled and named only six suspects, hiding the identities of the other seven.
In an exclusive interview, National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi told B-Metro the case is set to be heard today at the Kwekwe magistrate courts.
He named six suspects; Sichelesile Dube (52), Nkululeko Dube (27), Julia Dube (26) Terence Dube (25) Mbongeni Dube, (27) and Disay Dube (24).
Only Sichelesile and Terrence had been arrested.
He said Sichelesile was out on bail, while the other suspects were still at large.
“Mpendulo Nyoni had assaulted his wife due to a dispute at home. The wife went and told the family who attacked Mpendulo at Majoli Village under Chief Mlisa on the 20th of May 2026,” Comm Nyathi said.
“The other suspects the police named are on the run and the police are appealing to members of the public who know their whereabouts to come forward,” he said.
“All evidence is still being gathered to present before the courts. The matter is under investigation.”
B-Metro attempted to contact Sichelesile between July and August but she was unreachable on her mobile phone. Her son, Khayelihle Nyoni, refused to speak to B-Metro, saying any further discussions should take place at Kwekwe Police Station.
