Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
RESIDENTS of Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo are in shock following the discovery of a woman’s body with multiple injuries locked up in a house in the suburb.
Ms Ntokozo Ndlovu (31) whose body was found in an advanced state of decomposition on May 25, is suspected to have been murdered by her boyfriend.
She was reported missing by her brother, Mr Nqobani Ndlovu, on May 12.
It is suspected that her boyfriend, Mhlonipheni Brian Ncube, killed her and left her body on the bed in one of the rooms in the Masotsheni area of Emganwini.
Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, confirmed the incident yesterday and said they were treating the case as murder.
“Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of murder, which occurred in Emganwini suburb. The deceased is Ntokozo Ndlovu, a female adult aged 31 years of Emganwini, Bulawayo. She was not employed,” said Inspector Ncube.
He said the body had multiple injuries.
“The deceased’s body was conveyed to United Bulawayo Hospitals for a post-mortem. The matter is treated as murder and the suspect who is her boyfriend is on the run,” said Insp Ncube.
He said police officers had to break a padlock of a burglar bar to gain entry into the room where the body was locked in.
“A tenant identified the body as that of her friend Ms Ntokozo Ndlovu with whom she was staying with at the same house. She also revealed that the deceased was a girlfriend of Mhlonipheni Brian Ncube whom she last saw about two weeks ago,” said Insp Ncube.
He said further enquiries revealed that Ms Ntokozo Ndlovu was reported missing by her brother Mr Nqobani Ndlovu on 12 May.
“Upon entry into the room, two kitchen knives with broken handles, three screw drivers and a blood-stained yellow T-shirt were recovered,” said Inspector Ncube.
A Chronicle News crew yesterday found relatives of the deceased gathered at the family house in the suburb.
They were preparing to travel to their rural home to bury the deceased. When asked to comment on the murder, Mr Nqobani Ndlovu said he was not ready to speak to the media.
The shocking discovery of the body by tenants and the police is the talk of the suburb. The late Ms Ndlovu’s family house is not very far from where her body was discovered.
Neighbours and witnesses said the late Ms Ndlovu used to visit her boyfriend Ncube each time he was around.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said on Monday last week, children noticed a pied crow (iwabayi) perched on top of the roof, just above the room where the body was discovered.
The source said the previous week, police officers had visited the house asking the whereabouts of the late Ms Ndlovu.
“The police arrived here and they said they were looking for Mhlonipheni Ncube. I told them that I knew him as he used to come at night and briefly stay at the house,” said the source.
“When children told us that they saw iwabayi perched on the roof of the house, I then phoned Mhlonipheni and asked if he had left some meat in the room and he said he did and he would come and get it over the weekend.”
Police are appealing to those with information that may lead to the arrest of the accused to contact any nearest police station. — Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi
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