Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
A MAN linked to the fatal shooting of his former wife, Midlands State University (MSU) student Lesidi Nkomo, has been found dead at a guest lodge in Chiredzi, two days after the killing.
Godknows Muleya (30), a director of a Bulawayo-based security company, was found dead on Saturday with a gunshot wound to the forehead, with police recovering a pistol, a magazine containing three rounds and a spent cartridge at the scene.
Police said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the discovery of Muleya’s body.
“Reference is made to the ZRP message on X regarding a case of murder in which Lesidi Nkomo (25) died at a boarding house in Senga, Gweru, on 08/10/2026 after allegedly being shot by her ex-husband, Godknows Muleya (30). The ZRP confirms the discovery of the body of Godknows Muleya at a guest lodge in Chiredzi on 10/10/2026,” he said.
Comm Nyathi said Muleya had sustained a gunshot wound to the forehead and that investigations were continuing.
Nkomo, a Level Four, First Semester student pursuing an Honours Degree in Psychology at MSU, was allegedly shot in the forehead at about 5.30pm on Thursday after Muleya visited her boarding house in Senga. The shooting reportedly followed a misunderstanding between the two, who had a child together.
Other students at the boarding house allegedly rushed out of their rooms after hearing the gunshot
but were threatened by Muleya, who warned that he would shoot them if they intervened.
He allegedly confiscated their mobile phones, threw some into a toilet chamber and locked the students in a room with Nkomo’s body before fleeing in a silver-grey Toyota Wish.
Nkomo was later found lying face upwards in a pool of blood in her room.
Police investigations at the scene led to the recovery of a cartridge, a broken Itel mobile phone and a Samsung Galaxy A05s.
Muleya’s death comes amid intense public interest in the case, particularly following the circulation of a lengthy Facebook post titled “A Heartfelt Message from Godknows Muleya”.
In the post, Muleya described what he portrayed as a troubled relationship marked by family tensions, misunderstandings and repeated attempts at reconciliation.
He claimed that he loved Nkomo and had tried to build a future with her despite challenges involving their families. He also referred to complications arising from his previous marriage and acknowledged that the relationship had been marked by disagreements and periods of separation.
Muleya expressed regret over mistakes he said he had made and appealed for forgiveness from both families. He also spoke about their son, whom he described as a lasting connection between them.
The circumstances surrounding both deaths remain under investigation.
Comm Nyathi urged members of the public to seek peaceful ways of resolving disputes and to seek assistance when dealing with relationship or family problems.
“We are always appealing to members of the public to value life, which is precious. When there are differences, people should engage a third party instead of resorting to violence, which at times leads
to unnecessary loss of life,” he said.
He said the police, community leaders and church leaders were available to assist people experiencing disputes, expressing concern over what he described as a rise in domestic violence cases in recent months.
Forensic psychologist and University of Zimbabwe adjunct lecturer in the Department of Applied Psychology, Mr Ison Ndoro, said Nkomo’s death reflected a worrying trend of escalating cases of uxoricide, the killing of a wife by her husband.
Mr Ndoro said perpetrators of domestic violence were often known to their victims, including partners, friends and workmates, and that their violent behaviour might only become apparent to others after lives had been lost.
“In most cases, certain behavioural traits precede such violence, and we can nip it in the bud by observing changes and responding to them accordingly,” he said.
Mr Ndoro urged people to take threats of violence seriously and report them to law enforcement authorities without delay.
He said people facing threats should avoid confrontations, keep communication brief and calm, inform trusted individuals about their circumstances and, where necessary, discreetly prepare an exit plan.
“Ultimately, deterrent legal measures should be used together with evidence-based rehabilitation strategies to change violent behaviour,” said Mr Ndoro.
