admin Richard Muponde Gwanda Correspondent
A JILTED man from Gwanda struck his mother-in-law on the back of the head with an axe before allegedly committing suicide by drinking cyanide from her bedroom.
His mother in law, only identified as Gogo MaNyoni of Buvuma Village in Gwanda district, survived the axe attack.
Taurai Sibanda was buried in Gwanda yesterday – a week after he died after his family refused to bury him, insisting that his in-laws killed him.
The old woman is alleged to have gone to Sibanda’s homestead in Buvuma village under Chief Marupi where Sibanda lived with her daughter, after learning that he was physically abusing her.
She made her daughter pack her belongings and they went back home when Sibanda was away at work in Mopani.
When he discovered what had transpired, he allegedly proceeded to his in-laws’ home, also in Buvuma village.
His wife was not home, but her mother was sweeping outside. Sibanda allegedly struck her on the back of the head with an axe.
She fell down and passed out before being rushed to Manama Mission Hospital where she was treated and discharged after a few days.
Sibanda, it is alleged, thought he had killed his mother-in-law.
He went into her bedroom and drank cyanide before sleeping on her bed where he was later found dead.
Matabeleland South police could not immediately comment on the incident.
But Ward 18 Councillor Mphathiswa Ncube, whose area covers Buvuma village, yesterday said he met Sibanda before he went on to commit the crime. “I was with the villagers at the dip tank. Taurai came riding on his bicycle ringing its bell.
‘‘His wife was also at the dip tank with other villagers,” said Ncube. “He left the place and went to her mother-in-law’s homestead where he found her sweeping the yard. Without talking to her, he axed her on the back of the head and she collapsed.”
He said it appeared Sibanda had some differences with his wife.
Clr Ncube said Gogo MaNyoni escaped death rather miraculously. “She received several stitches on the back of her head and she is now recovering well at home.
‘‘What was disheartening was that the victims were later being further victimised after Taurai’s family refused to remove the body from his mother-in-law’s homestead and bury it.
‘‘It took a week with these families feuding until his burial on Monday at Gwanda Town Cemetery,” said Clr Ncube.
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