Woman jumps to death

IN a shocking incident of gender-based violence, a 33-year-old woman from Burombo Flats in Bulawayo died in hospital after being allegedly assaulted by her husband before she jumped from a window of their apartment on the third floor.

Witnesses said the couple struggled financially, a situation that could have contributed to a series of gender based violence incidents in the home.

The late Siphiwe Ndlovu succumbed to injuries at Mpilo Central Hospital on Sunday, a day after she plunged several metres from the window of a third floor apartment at Burombo Flats.

Her husband, Meluleki Ndlovu (44), has since been arrested and is set to appear in court today to face murder charges.

The deceased’s aunt, Mrs Patience Phiri, said the family struggled financially as both husband and wife were unemployed.

“Meluleki was self-employed and transported client’s goods in a push cart around the Renkini Bus Terminus area and my niece occasionally did piece jobs such as doing laundry and cleaning other people’s houses,” she said.

“The family struggled financially and to add to that the husband drank heavily. The financial situation in their home could have been the reason Meluleki beat his wife a lot,” said Mrs Phiri.

She said the couple had been together for about 10 years and have a nine-year-old daughter.

“My niece was naked when she fell from that window and I’m here to pack some clothes so that we can dress her body at the mortuary. The funeral wake will be held at our family home in Mzilikazi and family members have started gathering there,” said Mrs Phiri.

“She was killed like an animal and we will make sure that her death is avenged.”

Yesterday afternoon the murder suspect Meluleki was brought back to the scene of the crime at Burombo Flats for police indications. He arrived at the crime scene under police guard.

A coffin with the late mother-of-one was also at the back of the police van that transported the suspect for the police indications. Police indications refer to the process when an accused is taken back to the scene of a crime as police detectives piece together the events that led to the crime and statements by the accused are also recorded.

In some cases a murder accused demonstrates to the police how the crime was committed. Mourners are gathered at number G159 Mzilikazi suburb.

Meanwhile, Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said on the night in question, the suspect who was drunk had an altercation with his wife over infidelity issues.

“The accused person started assaulting the now deceased with open hands with the door of their room locked from inside.

“The now deceased managed to escape, stepped on the sofa that was close to a window and jumped from their room on the 3rd floor of Burombo Flats,” she said.

“She fell and landed on her stomach whilst still holding keys to the house in her right hand. She sustained a fractured right leg, swollen stomach and was bleeding from the nose and mouth,” said Ass Insp Msebele.

“A neighbour who saw her falling took the keys from the now deceased’s hand and unlocked the door for the accused to come out.

“Upon realising that the now deceased was injured, the accused person called an ambulance and took her to Mpilo Central Hospital where she was admitted in a serious condition,”

The following day a police report was made and officers visited the now deceased at Mpilo Hospital and discovered that she succumbed to her injuries.

The accused person was arrested.

“It is disheartening that a life has been lost in such a way and we urge couples to resolve their differences in an amicable manner and not to resort to violence,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

“We also urge members of the public to desist from violence especially when under the influence of alcohol.”