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A PREGNANT woman from Ntalale village in Matabeleland South province was brutally murdered by her husband using a 900-gramme stone after discovering a love letter in their home.
Tsoanelo Sibanda appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Ngoni Nduna at the beginning of this month on a murder charge.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody.
In his statement, Sibanda explained that he became enraged upon finding a love letter addressed to his wife.
“I was very angry when I found a letter written to my wife by Sipho Ndlovu, who stated that he would kill me if I failed to pay his US$10 debt and have quality time with my wife after my death,” he said.
During the trial, the deceased’s sister-in-law Brightness Ndlovu indicated that on the day in question, she was at the Ntalale Irrigation Scheme doing her daily chores with the now-deceased woman.
“We were running our errands with the now-deceased at the Ntalale Irrigation Scheme and we returned home around 3pm. We met up with the accused who was sitting under a tree and he threatened to kill the victim, accusing her of cheating on him with Sipho Ndlovu. The victim denied the allegations and I went to my house.
“In the evening, around 7pm, the victim came to my house and told me that the accused was threatening to kill her and she returned to her home. Later that evening, I heard some screams and saw the culprit assaulting the victim,” she said.
Allegations against Sibanda are that he and his wife Lethani Ncube were at their home in Ntalale village. They had an argument around 8pm due to suspected infidelity and Sibanda became aggressive.
He chased Ncube with the intent to assault her.
She fled towards Phineas Sibanda’s homestead but was caught by her husband. Sibanda then picked up a stone and struck Ncube twice, once on the head and once on the left ear.
He stopped the assault upon seeing Brightness Ndlovu, who was witnessing the attack and screaming.
Ncube was severely injured and unconscious. She passed away before she could be ferried to hospital. The incident was reported to the police, leading to Sibanda’s arrest. — B-Metro
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Man arrested for failing to fulfil bride price proposal
A 60-year-old Ugandan man named Samuel Maikut faced legal trouble after a failed marriage proposal in Bukwo district.
He had promised to provide four cows and three goats as bride price to his future in-laws but arrived late and empty-handed.
The bride’s family, who had invested approximately US$1 200 in wedding preparations, was understandably upset. They confronted Maikut, who struggled to explain his actions.
Local authorities intervened to prevent a potential conflict and arrested Maikut.
He later expressed regret for the incident, acknowledging the financial loss incurred by the bride’s family.
He attributed his failure to deliver the bride price to unspecified issues with his team.
“I am sorry for what happened, but I am ready to discuss compensation for the losses,” said Maikut. — Wires
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Human semen harvester sentenced
The trial of a 32-year-old man from Nineva village, Mbembesi, in Matabeleland North province, who forced three teenagers to masturbate and ejaculate in condoms has come to an end, with the court handing him an effective three-year jail term.
Phumulani Masango pleaded not guilty to six counts of theft, criminal insult, fraud and kidnapping before Bulawayo regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza.
He was, however, convicted after trial.
“The accused is sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for kidnapping and two years are suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
‘‘In the charge of criminal insult, the accused is sentenced to a one-year jail term for the two counts, and for the charge of theft, you are ordered to pay a fine of US$300 or serve 30 days in prison,” said Mabeza.
“Moreover, the accused is sentenced to a further six months’ imprisonment for fraud and this sentence will run concurrently with the sentence of criminal insult.”
The court heard that on March 18, 2024, at the Fingo Business Centre, Masango approached two juveniles who were on their way home from school and introduced himself as a police officer.
He went on to accuse them of being drunk. He slapped them and proceeded to search their bags.
Masango ordered the boys to follow him to the police base in Mbembesi but he did not enter the charge office.
He forced them to get into a Toyota Wish car that was supposedly headed to Bulawayo and they stopped after about 200 metres and disembarked.
Masango demanded the juveniles’ cellphones, claiming it was against the law for learners to have such gadgets.
The juveniles were locked in a room that was close to a bar at the shopping centre. After some time, Masango returned and indicated that he was taking the victims to the school authority as it was late and risky for the victims to go home.
However, he led them to his homestead. While they were there, he ordered them to wear condoms and masturbate.
The juveniles complied and when they failed to ejaculate, he ordered them to urinate and repeat the act. When they finally ejaculated, he ordered them to remove the condoms and place them on the floor, and promised to buy them food.
The victims were released in the morning.
On March 29, 2024, Masango met up with another boy whom he ordered to follow him to his homestead and forced him to masturbate and leave the condom on the floor.
The three juveniles reported the matter to the police and investigations were carried out.
Sometime in March, in Mbethe village, Masango approached Tapson Majola and introduced himself as a lawyer after receiving a tip-off that he needed legal representation for his son who had been arrested.
Masango promised to represent him and Majola paid US$250.
After a while, Majola discovered that Masango was not a lawyer as he learnt that he had previously been arrested for impersonating a police officer. The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Churchgoer steals congregation funds
In a world where crimes happen almost everywhere, the church is considered the least likely place where such wrongdoing occurs because of its sacredness.
Congregants are especially the least suspected of being criminals because of the teachings they receive in the church.
However, a 24-year-old woman, who is a member of the Bethel Church in Cowdray Park suburb, Bulawayo, was arrested for stealing US$118 and R431 from the church’s coffers.
For the offence, Bridget Chiedza (24) appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Learnear Khumalo on a theft of trust property charge.
She pleaded guilty to the offence.
Chiedza was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, of which three months were suspended on condition she does not commit a similar offence within five years.
A further six months were suspended on condition she performs 210 hours of community service at the Cowdray Park Health Centre.
Three months were also suspended on condition she restitutes the stolen money to the church on or before November 15, 2024.
In mitigation, she pleaded with the court to spare her a jail sentence, saying she committed the offence to get money for her sick mother’s treatment.
“My mother was sick in the rural areas and I needed money for her treatment.
“That is why I committed the offence. It was a mistake and I wish to be given the chance to pay back the money,” she said.
The court heard that on August 4, 2024, around midday, after a church service, Chiedza was given US$118 and R431 by the church secretary, Prisca Moyo, after a directive by the pastor, who is also the complainant.
When the money was demanded back by the church for accountability, the accused person is said to have run away to an unknown destination.
Chiedza is said to have been no longer reachable on her cellphone and blocked all her church members. Nothing was recovered.
The matter was reported to the police and investigations led to Chiedza’s arrest. — B-Metro
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