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a 37 year-old local man based in South Africa went berserk before he allegedly shot and killed his 24-year-old wife and his 54-year-old mother-in-law following a domestic dispute.
The Officer Commanding Police in Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said the gruesome murder occurred yesterday at about 8am at the homestead of the suspect’s mother-in-law in Nyadzani village in Mtetengwe under Chief Sitauze area in the border town.
“Our preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect, Thinandavha Muleya had a long standing domestic feud with his wife, Hilda Maphosa.
“On the fateful day, Muleya and Maphosa had a dispute prompting the wife to flee her matrimonial home and went to her mother’s homestead in the same village to seek refuge,” he said.
Muleya later followed his wife to her mother’s homestead where upon arrival, he found his mother- in-law, Mrs Joyce Maphosa and her daughter.
“He then confronted the two women during which the three had an altercation resulting in Muleya pulling out a 9mm pistol and fatally shooting his wife in the head before turning to his mother-in-law and also shooting her in the head and she died,” Chief Supt Chinhengo said.
Soon after the incident, the suspect’s father-in-law arrived at the scene and started wrestling with Muleya until he managed to disarm him.
The suspect fled to his homestead leaving the two women’s lifeless bodies lying in pools of blood.
“The suspect went to his homestead where he took his two children before he drove to his brother’s homestead in the same area.
“On arrival Muleya narrated the ordeal to his brother, who subsequently apprehended him and handed him over to us leading to his arrest,” Chief Supt Chinhengo said.
The two bodies were taken to Beitbridge District Hospital mortuary pending a post mortem in Bulawayo. Chief Supt Chinhengo said they recovered the firearm used in commission of the offence and four spent cartridges at the scene of the shooting.
Police suspect that the pistol, a VZR70, 9mm, was smuggled into the country from South Africa where Muleya is working.
“We have since arrested the suspect and he is in our custody assisting us with investigations pending his appearance in court on a murder charge.
“As police we continue to urge people to desist from violence in the event of a domestic dispute. In fact they should try and resolve their problems in an amicable manner rather than resorting to killing each other,” Chief Supt Chinhengo said.
The latest incident comes barely a month after another 38 year-old Beitbridge man from Makhado village in the district went berserk and brutally stoned his mother to death before torching her hut following a misunderstanding that emanated from a domestic dispute with his wife.
The suspect, Thambulo Sibanda had a long-standing dispute with his mother, whom he accused of coercing his wife into leaving their matrimonial home so that she could come and stay with her.
Online Reporter