dyton mupawaenda
What the heck?
EFFORTS to resolve a longstanding dispute ended in tragedy on Sunday afternoon after a 56-year-old man from Malala village went berserk and fatally stabbed his wife in Matshiloni village.
Mukhosi Shadreck Mulaudzi Muthavhatsindi reportedly killed his wife after becoming enraged by his in-laws’ suggestion that the couple should divorce to ensure peace.
The couple, who were based in South Africa, had recently returned to Zimbabwe at the height of their conflict.
Their families had organised a meeting on a Sunday in an attempt to mediate.
Officer commanding Beitbridge district Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube confirmed the incident.
He said Muthavhatsindi was arrested after being intercepted by a mob while attempting to flee the scene.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the couple was living together in South Africa and returned to Zimbabwe on April 24. Upon arrival, the suspect went to his home in Malala, while the deceased went to her family home in Matshiloni due to their ongoing domestic issues,” said Chief Supt Ncube.
On April 26, the suspect visited his in-laws’ homestead in Matshiloni, accompanied by a traditional go-between (munyai/idombo), hoping to settle the matter.
“During deliberations, the wife’s relatives suggested that the couple should divorce since they had failed to reach an amicable agreement over a long period. This did not go down well with the suspect and an argument ensued,” Chief Supt Ncube added.
During the altercation, Muthavhatsindi allegedly charged at his wife. She attempted to flee but the suspect caught up with her and stabbed her once on the left side of the chest.
She reportedly screamed before collapsing and dying on the spot.
Muthavhatsindi then bolted from the scene but was pursued and apprehended by local villagers, who then handed him over to the police.
The suspect remains in custody pending his initial court appearance.
The victim’s body has been transported to a hospital for a post-mortem. — Matabeleland South Bureau
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Man jailed 15 years for brutally raping cousin
A 25-year-old man from Sotshangane Flats has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his cousin aged 22 inside a motor vehicle.
The court heard that the assailant attacked the victim after telling her he had “admired her for a long time”.
The perpetrator, whose identity is being withheld to protect the victim, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Shingai Mutiro.
He was found guilty of rape following a trial that detailed a violent and calculated assault.
In passing the sentence, magistrate Mutiro emphasised the gravity of the crime, noting that sexual intercourse between cousins is legally prohibited.
He further highlighted that the offence was committed under aggravating circumstances, as the offender used physical violence that left the victim with bruises on her hands and back.
Prosecutor Owen Mugari detailed the events of March 12, stating that the accused arrived at the complainant’s Thorngrove residence around 11pm.
He gained entry by jumping over the perimeter wall and knocking on her bedroom window.
The accused lured the victim out of the house by claiming his vehicle had developed a mechanical fault and requested her assistance.
Believing her relative, the complainant unlocked the gate and eventually agreed to accompany him to a filling station to buy fuel.
According to the State, the pair drove into the city centre, stopping briefly at a local nightclub. Upon returning to Thorngrove and stopping on Humbly Road, the victim attempted to exit the vehicle.
The accused locked all the doors, moved to the backseat and began making unwanted advances, telling the victim she was “beautiful”.
The court heard that a struggle ensued as the accused forcefully pinned the victim against the seat.
During the scuffle, the victim fell into the space between the front and back seats. The accused then overpowered and raped her.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
A medical report confirming the victim’s injuries was produced in court as evidence. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Bullet lodged in jaw after brutal gunfire
A 26-year-old woman is awaiting specialist surgery to remove a bullet lodged in her lower jaw after surviving a violent shooting by her husband that left two others injured.
The victim, Mercyline Mahembe, was rushed to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital following the attack on Independence Day, April 18.
Her husband, 30-year-old Francis Makuma Magirayano, is currently on the run and is believed to have fled to Mozambique en route to South Africa.
The incident has shocked Muchadziya village.
Magirayano allegedly opened fire in a suspected “crime of passion”, wounding his wife, her sister and a shopkeeper at the Kopa Business Centre.
Mahembe sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the assault.
A bullet entered the right side of her jaw and remains lodged, causing significant dental damage.
She also suffered a gunshot wound to her right hand. She sustained further wounds to her left thigh.
A medical expert monitoring her condition confirmed she is currently stable. She was scheduled to be reviewed by maxillofacial specialists in Harare for removal of the bullet.
According to a local villager, Thompson Makhuyana, the attack was allegedly sparked by rumours of infidelity.
“We heard that someone informed Magirayano that his wife was cheating on him. This is why he drove all the way on a revenge mission . . . ,” Makhuyana said.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has since launched a manhunt for Magirayano, who is believed to have recently returned from South Africa.
He was reportedly driving a silver Toyota Fortuner (Registration number: JV 70 SM GP) when he opened fire following the domestic dispute. — Manicaland Bureau
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Insuza donkey dispute ends in assault charges
A 26-year-old man from Insuza has been hauled before a Bulawayo court after a heated argument over donkeys escalated into a brutal attack.
Handsome Mahlangu appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Barbara Phiri facing assault charges after attacking his neighbour Mthokozisi Ncube.
The dispute began when Ncube discovered that Mahlangu’s donkeys had invaded his maize field on the night of March 26, causing extensive damage.
Seeking to resolve the matter peacefully, Ncube penned the donkeys at his homestead, waiting for their owner to collect them.
The following morning, he released the animals.
Later that day, around 6pm, Ncube approached Mahlangu to inform him about the damage and even asked him to take pictures of the destroyed maize to show his parents.
Tempers flared when Mahlangu became furious, claiming his donkeys had the right to graze in the field because Ncube had previously used them for ploughing without his permission.
In a fit of rage, Mahlangu allegedly grabbed a knobkerrie and struck Ncube twice — once on the forehead and once on the leg.
The attack left Ncube with a swollen head and broken leg.
He sought treatment at St Luke’s Hospital and a medical report confirming his injuries was presented in court.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Mahlangu’s arrest.
He pleaded guilty and has been remanded out of custody to a later date for sentencing. — Bulawayo Bureau
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