adminPlumtree Correspondent
A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officer stationed at Plumtree Border Post committed suicide by hanging following a dispute with his wife over an extramarital affair.The officer commanding Bulilima-Mangwe police district, Chief Superintendent Patrick Majuta yesterday confirmed that his office was investigating the incident but referred this reporter to the provincial office for further details.
However, sources said the dispute arose when the officer identified as Tawanda Chiduku (39) who was a State Warehouse manager at the border invited his girlfriend to his house.
The incident occurred at the New Border Post Residential Quarters on Sunday night. Witnesses said Chiduku used an electric cord to hang himself.
“As early as 6am I was at Chiduku’s home after being alerted about the incident. We found his body hanging at the entrance of his living room. He was found hanging and the electric cord was tied to the door frame.
“He was half naked as he was only putting on a pair of shorts and was barefooted. What made the whole scene horrific is that he was kneeling on the floor while the rope was tied round his neck. I wonder how he hanged himself while his knees were on the ground,” said Mr Allen Msimanga, a neighbour.
Another neighbour, Mr Philemon Shumba said Chiduku and his wife had a scuffle on the fateful night after he brought a girlfriend to their house.
“Chiduku and his wife had a dispute which forced his wife to sleep at a neighbour’s house. Chiduku assumed that his wife was in Bulawayo and brought his girlfriend home after work but the wife arrived home unexpectedly.
“On the night of his death Chiduku came back from a drinking session at about 10pm in the company of a girlfriend. He was not aware that his wife was home and only found the wife waiting for him in the house after inviting his girlfriend in,” he said.
Mr Shumba said the two women started fighting and that alerted neighbours.
“I heard people shouting and screaming at around 11pm on Sunday and when I went outside I found out that Mrs Chiduku and her husband’s mistress were fighting. Eventually the mistress fled from the home leaving the couple.
“Chiduku and his wife later engaged in a dispute which only ended after Mrs Chiduku stormed out of the house and went to sleep at a neighbour’s house. She is the one who alerted us on Monday morning after finding her husband dead,” he said.
Contacted for comment Matabeleland South police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Christopher Ngwenya said he was still waiting for a report from Plumtree Police Station.
Online Reporter