Arron Nyamayaro
A WOMAN, who killed herself after being accused of allegedly faking pregnancy and miscarriage leading to the breakdown of her relationship with her UK-based husband, has been laid to rest.
Tadiwanashe Mildred Maradzika had told her relatives, in her suicide note, that she wanted to be buried in Mutare, and not in Bocha, her rural home village.
She was laid to rest in Mutare yesterday.
She was found dead in Dangamvura, near her parents’ house, and left a suicide note.
Police have said they are investigating the circumstances leading to her death.
Mildred was the first born, and the only daughter, in a family of three children.
She was found dead at her parents’ home on Saturday.
Mildred recorded an audio message before her death, in which she described being deeply stressed, by the dispute with her estranged husband.
Carlton Nyahunzvi, the estranged hubby, told H-Metro yesterday there was still an impasse between the two families.
He paid lobola in July and he says he has been trying, since August, to hand over a token of divorce to Mildred’s family.
His relatives did not attend the burial ceremony.
Instead, they spent the better part of yesterday at Chief Mutasa’s traditional courtyard where they are seeking ways of surrendering some of Mildred’s belongings, which she left at their rural home in Murehwa.
“Her parents refused to accept the belongings arguing that my response to the fake pregnancy and miscarriage issues caused her death.
“My hands are clean on that one.
“I tried in vain to seek justice over my misunderstanding with Mildred’s family, as well as approaching the traditional court for redress, which was delayed by her family.
“Justice delayed is justice denied.”
In her suicide audio message, Mildred revealed how she came under intense pressure from both families.
“Regai ndiende zvangu vanhu vekumba kwedu vazorore nekuda kweproblem yandakaunza muhupenyu hwavo nekuda kwangu.
“Ngavasawana mari yavanopihwa nemhuri yekwaNyahunzvi yekuripisa.
“Handidi kuvigwa kumusha uye ngapasawane anopihwa zvinhu zvangu asi mai vangu ngavasarudze zvavanoda pazvinhu zvangu.
“Moyo wangu unemaronda ndakabaiwa pamwoyo wangu, ndakashungurudzwa,” Mildred says in the audio recording.
Mildred is believed to have downed rat poison and her body was discovered by a Mutare City Council employee.
Mildred married Nyahunzvi, who is based in the United Kingdom, in July.
The couple never lived together, according to the account provided.
Nyahunzvi accused Mildred of falsifying documents relating to a pregnancy and miscarriage.
Mildred, in turn, said she felt humiliated while staying at the Nyahunzvi family home in Murehwa,
She later returned to Mutare ahead of a traditional court hearing before Chief Mutasa.
The hearing was postponed three times.
The next date was set for December 5 after the Maradzika family requested a postponement.
Nyahunzvi told H-Metro he was shocked by Mildred’s death.
“I was phoned and told about Mildred’s suicide by her aunt and it touched me, considering that we were both crying for help which never came,” he said.
He claimed that Mildred’s family wanted him to continue with the marriage after he questioned the pregnancy and miscarriage documents.
He said the family filed a police report against his brother-in-law, whom he said had helped him examine the documents.
Mildred’s mother, Tapuwa Charity Dzinemarira, confirmed the dispute saying she wanted Nyahunzvi to attend the court in person.
“My daughter suffered a miscarriage and Carlton suspected that she was not pregnant.
“He ordered a video recording of the medical process but we were not allowed to record such procedures.
“He then continued to doubt the medical records because he is based in the UK.
“He engaged his brothers to hand over a token of divorce, which we refused to accept.
“He then approached a traditional leader.
“My daughter was humiliated when we took her to Murehwa.”
