Security guard shoots, kills wife

A SECURITY guard from Bulawayo’s Pumula North suburb is on the run after he allegedly shot and killed his wife on Sunday over an unknown dispute.

Oscar Khumalo is said to have used his service weapon to shoot Khangelani Nkiwane at their rented house in Pumula North.

It is said that during the dispute, Nkiwane escaped from Khumalo and locked herself in their landlord’s room before Khumalo moved to the window and shot her three times; once on the hand and twice at the back.

The incident occurred at about 5pm and Nkiwane was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital leading to her death yesterday morning.

A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited the couple’s residence where their landlord, Ms Hoitsi Nkomo, detailed how an irate Khumalo chased after a naked Nkiwane as he wanted to attack her.

“I saw her running towards my room and initially I thought she was running away from my vicious dogs. But I then realised that she wasn’t running away from the dogs but Khumalo, who was brandishing a pistol while threatening to kill her,” she said.

“She forced herself into my bedroom, half naked and my grandchildren were also in the room,” said Ms Nkomo.

“My grandchildren assisted in shutting out Khumalo and when we thought everything was now calm, he moved outside the house and went to my bedroom window where he opened fire, shooting her three times.”

Ms Nkomo said as Khumalo escaped from the scene, neighbours called the police and an ambulance also came and took Nkiwane to Mpilo Central Hospital.

Ms Nkomo said Nkiwane was bleeding extensively but was still stable and could communicate by the time she was taken to hospital.

Nkiwane family spokesperson, Mr Albert Mhlanga, said Khumalo was abusive and violent and had threatened to kill her several times before.

“Khumalo had been threatening to steal a gun and shoot our daughter for the past two weeks. He was a very jealous man and had even banned our daughter from attending church,” he said.

“In fact, on the day of the dispute, I had talked to him about the issue and he promised that he wouldn’t be abusive anymore. It was our wish as a family that our daughter leaves him, but she loved him, so we decided to let them be. I wish she had not ignored our advice.”

Bulawayo police provincial spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, yesterday confirmed the incident saying police were treating the case as a murder.

“We are investigating a case of suspected murder where a man employed as a security guard in a local company is said to have stolen a pistol from his work and shot his wife,” he said.

“The suspect attempted to force his way into the landlord’s locked room and when he failed he fired a single shot at the door before breaking the bedroom window and shooting Ms Nkiwane on the back and hand,” said Insp Ncube.

He encouraged anyone who has information that will lead to Khumalo’s arrest to come forward. Insp Ncube encouraged couples to find peaceful ways of resolving conflict.