adminThe Officer Commanding Police in Beitbridge district, Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said among the cases handled, one ended up being a murder case involving an injiva who fatally stabbed his wife and tried to kill her two-day-old baby. The man went on to commit suicide.
The incident, which occurred at Makhado Village outside the border town, revolved around a dispute over the paternity of the couple’s newly born baby.
The man, Mboneni Sibanda, had been living in South Africa for the past four years, where he was employed. During that period the wife, Letina Muleya, had been staying alone at their homestead in Makhado.
According to police investigations, indications are that while Sibanda was away Muleya decided to have an adulterous affair with a man from the same village and she eventually fell pregnant.
The adulterous affair came to light when Sibanda decided to come home for good in October this year and he discovered that his wife was pregnant and kept quiet until she gave birth.
The wife gave birth to a baby boy on 11 November, resulting in an argument ensuing between the two over the paternity of the child.
Chief Supt Chinhengo said cases of violence were on the increase particularly during the festive season when Zimbabweans working in South Africa return home.
“Most of these cases that we handle occur during the month of December when locals working in South Africa return home.
“We continue as the police to urge people to desist from engaging in violence and in the event of a dispute, the parties should seek the assistance of counsellors or a third party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Supt Chinhengo said police have intensified the fight against crime in the border town ahead of the festive season.
“As police we have deployed more officers in different hot spots such as Beitbridge Border Post, Dulibadzimu bus terminus and hiking spots along the highways leading to
Bulawayo and Masvingo,” he said.
Chief Supt Chinhengo warned travellers against approaching non-border officials for assistance when completing customs and immigration formalities as they risked being conned by bogus clearing agents and touts operating at the border post.
Several unsuspecting travellers continue to fall prey to these suspects who masquerade as immigration and customs officials and swindle them of their money under the guise of offering assistance.
Chief Supt Chinhengo said they were conducting border patrols round the clock to curb criminal activities.
“Beitbridge is a busy border post especially during the festive season, hence criminals normally want to capitalise on this period to commit common crimes such stealing from travellers. As police we are on the alert,” he said.
Online Reporter