Man kills lover, commits suicide

before committing suicide following a domestic dispute in Crowborough Housing Scheme near Mufakose last week.
The man identified as Timothy Sibanda (49), a former soldier, reportedly struck his girlfriend – Gladys Muyambo (35) – with the sharp digging tool on the head while she was asleep.
Police said they were still investigating the case and would give a full report later.
According to the chairman of the Housing Scheme Mr Peter Gosha, Muyambo and Sibanda were not married, but living together at Muyambo’s two-roomed wooden house she inherited from her late husband.
He said they both worked for the City of Harare Municipal Workers Scheme.
The two had quarrelled over how to spend some money.
It is reported that Muyambo wanted to use her money – over US$500 – at her rural home, while Sibanda demanded that the money be used to build a proper house.
Mr Gosha said it is suspected that Sibanda attacked his girlfriend while she was asleep.
“From what we have witnessed it looks like he struck her while she was sleeping as the pick was still stuck in her head and no neighbour heard any noise,” he said.
He said it is also suspected that after committing this heinous act Sibanda then covered her body with 50kg bags of maize and locked the house.
Mr Gosha said he reported for duty as if nothing had happened and told workmates that he had a dispute with his girlfriend and she had travelled to her aunt’s house.
“After two days he bought a pesticide, took it and died,” Mr Gosha said.
Neighbours only discovered Sibanda’s body on Thursday.
“We came and broke the door to gain entry before we retrieved his decomposing body but we failed to see Muyambo’s body which was covered with maize bags,” Mr Gosha said.
However, the stench continued and neighbours investigated again only to discover Muyambo’s decomposing body and a report was made to the police yesterday morning.
Police came and retrieved the body and took it to Harare Hospital for a post-mortem.
When the Herald visited the crime scene yesterday afternoon, the body had already been removed by police and Muyambo and Sibanda’s relatives were gathered at the house.
Sibanda was buried at Granville Cemetery on Sunday.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed the whole housing scheme as people mourned the couple.