Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A quiet rural community in Mahlikihliki Village, Chief Tshugulu, Nkayi District, has been left traumatised after a father allegedly murdered his two young sons before taking his own life in a chilling domestic tragedy.
The deceased children have been identified as Mandlenkosi Ncube (8) and Zimiso Ncube, both sons of Zenzo Ncube (47), who later died by suicide.
Police confirmed that the incident occurred on the night of December 14 at Zenzo Ncube’s homestead. According to police investigations, Ncube, who was reportedly a mental patient on psychiatric medication, had been living alone with his children since the death of his wife, who committed suicide by hanging in 2023.
Earlier that evening, at around 6pm, Ncube visited his brother’s homestead, where he requested matchsticks and relish from his sister-in-law before returning home. During the night, tragedy unfolded.
Police say the accused set fire to his grass-thatched hut, then armed himself with an axe and struck both children once on the head, killing them inside their bedroom hut. He then dragged their bodies approximately seven metres outside the yard, covering them with fence droppers, clothing, dry grass and green hedges before attempting to burn them. The fire, however, extinguished before consuming the bodies.
After the attack, Ncube reportedly left the homestead and walked to his late brother’s abandoned homestead, about 500 metres away, where he hanged himself using a wire tied to a roof truss.
The grim discovery was made the following morning when a cousin, Mthulisi Ncube, who had gone out to look for donkeys, noticed an open hut door at the abandoned homestead.
Upon investigating, he found Zenzo Ncube’s body hanging. The discovery prompted villagers to check Ncube’s homestead, where they found the burnt hut and the bodies of the two children.
Police attended the scene and made disturbing observations. The children’s bodies were found lying on the ground, partially covered with wooden droppers, grass and clothing. Both had deep axe wounds to the head, and their clothes were soaked in blood. Investigators also noted blood stains inside the bedroom hut, drag marks leading outside the yard, and recovered a blood-stained axe from the accused’s bedroom.
The bodies of the two children and their father were ferried to Nkayi District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations. Confirming the incident, Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said police were investigating a tragic murder-suicide case involving two juveniles.
“We confirm a case of murder in Nkayi District in which a father allegedly killed his two minor sons before taking his own life. The bodies of the three were taken to Nkayi District Hospital for post-mortem examinations, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are still underway,” said Insp Banda.
