Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
IN a shocking incident, a man from Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North province allegedly locked a room where his wife and in-laws were and set it ablaze, leading to his wife’s death after sustaining serious burn injuries.
Ephraim Moyo from Mswigama Line in Tsholotsho appeared on Thursday before Tsholotsho Magistrate Mr Godfrey Muzungu charged with murder and attempted murder. He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody until October 8 for routine remand.
He was advised of his legal right to engage a lawyer at his own cost and to apply for bail at the Bulawayo High Court.
The accused stumbled on WhatsApp messages on his wife’s phone and allegedly fumed before head-butting her and took a pot, struck her several times all over the body after accusing her of having an extra-marital affair.
Prosecuting, Ms Nobuhle Mguni told the court that this year on 15 May the accused person threatened to kill his wife, accusing her of having an extra-marital affair. After that his wife Anita Ndlovu (32) fled to her parents’ home.
The court heard that on 16 May this year at around 7PM, the accused person went to Mahangula Line, where his late wife had fled to, holding an axe, machete and 5 litres of petrol.
“On his arrival at his in-laws home he asked to see his wife and they went outside the yard to talk. A misunderstanding arose and the accused axed his wife while demanding bride price money and threatened to kill any family member if they failed to give him his money,” the court heard.
Ms Mguni said: “His wife managed to escape and ran into a bedroom and her parents ran and hid in a three-roomed house where they locked themselves inside. The accused person ordered the trio to open the door threatening to kill the now deceased. They refused to open the door and the accused person axed the door but he failed to break it open.”
The court heard that the accused person smashed the window and he splashed petrol into the room.
“He lit a stick of matches and threw it inside the room. The three opened the door and they stormed out from the burning house holding the one-year-old child.
“The accused person struck his wife with the back of an axe on head and once on the right hand. He went on to strike the child once on the neck and he sustained a cut on the neck,” said Ms Mguni.
“The wife of the accused was severely burnt on the chest, stomach, right hand and on both thighs. She was rushed to hospital,” said Ms Mguni.
The court heard that the accused’s father-in-law rushed to restrain the accused from assaulting his wife and mother-in law. Other villagers were called to the scene.
“When the accused saw other villagers rushing to the scene, he fled the scene,” the court heard.
The wife of the deceased who was admitted at Tsholotsho District Hospital requested to be released to go home against medical advice. On September 15, 2026 at around 3pm she died at home due to injuries sustained.
Ms Mguni told the court that upon learning about the death of his wife the accused went to a road and threw himself onto an oncoming bus and sustained injuries. He was rushed to hospital for medical attention. The attempted murder and murder case were reported to the police.
