Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa and Liberty Dube in MUTARE
A WOMAN, who hours earlier had breastfed her toddler at a bar where she was drinking, died after she was bashed by her husband for having left the same baby at home.
The tragedy unfolded in the Chikanga neighbourhood of Mutare.
Neighbours say Tawanda Muradzikwa, 34, who is being accused of murdering his wife, Samantha Chuma, 41, allegedly has a history of domestic violence.
The dispute, which ended in tragedy, was triggered by Samantha’s decision to leave their four-month-old baby at home while she went to a local bar for a drink on Wednesday night.
She is said to have left the infant under the care of her other children.
When Tawanda returned home, according to the people who live at the same house with the couple, he found the infant crying.
He followed her to the bar.
A woman, who stays at their house, followed the couple to the bar with the baby.
Samantha was forced to breastfeed her child at the bar and there are even images showing her with the baby wrapped on her back, while holding a beer.
The couple returned home and that’s where the violence escalated, leading to the death of Samantha.
The couple’s children have since been placed under the care of relatives, as investigations continue.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, referred inquiries to national police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was not immediately available for comment.
When Zimpapers visited the family’s home at House Number 824 in Chikanga One yesterday morning, police officers were still gathering evidence.
Neighbours stood nearby, visibly shaken by the grim scene, mourning the loss, and grappling with the shock of domestic violence in their community.
According to neighbours and tenants, the couple had a history of domestic violence, with previous incidents resulting in police reports and a protection order.
Petronella Gwenzi, a tenant at the property, said the events leading to the tragedy began when Samantha left her infant in the care of other children and went to a nearby bar.
She said Tawanda returned home and found the baby crying.
“He asked us whether we had seen his wife and we told him we had not. He left the baby with us and went to look for her at the bar,” said Petronella.
The couple usually drank alcohol together at the same bar.
She said she later followed them to the bar carrying the infant after the baby continued crying.
“I found Chuma seated there and handed the baby to her. She immediately started breastfeeding the child and the couple later returned home together,” said Petronella.
“At around 6pm, the oldest child, who is 12, came asking to borrow my torch, saying the baby was crying, and they could not see properly inside the house since it was dark.
“Initially, I refused because I feared the torch could be damaged.”
She said the child returned a short while later, saying she was unable to wake her mother up to feed the crying infant.
“I accompanied her to the room and used my torch to light the house. I found Muradzikwa holding Chuma while they were both on the floor.
“She had a wound at the back of her head and was bleeding,” she said.
Other tenants were alerted before the police were contacted.
Petronella said the couple’s relationship was characterised by violence.
“They loved each other but they were both short-tempered. There were times when Samantha would attack him with a knife and police reports would be made.
“They regularly fought, especially when alcohol was involved, and there was a binding-over protection order between them.”
She said Tawanda appeared distraught after realising his wife had died.
“He placed her on the bed and poured water on her, begging her to wake up. He kept saying that if she was gone, he also wanted to die.
“It was a painful scene and police officers had to restrain him.”
Another neighbour, Pamela Nyagusi, said she had lived at the couple’s home for five years and witnessed repeated incidents of domestic violence.
“They often drank together at local bars and arguments frequently followed. In-fact, Chuma would go to the bar with the baby. Even when she was pregnant, she would go to the bar.
“There were many occasions when she reported him to the police after alleged assaults. We are devastated that it has ended this way,” she said.
