The Sunday News
Thulani Ndlovu
A DRUNK man struck his wife several times on the head and body using an axe and a knobkerrie until she died after he found her having sexual intercourse with his brother-in-law.
According to the State, Mandlenkosi Ncube of house number D4749 Robert Sinyoka Estate in Bulawayo was drinking with his deceased wife, Nobuhle Moyo, at Old Pumula beer garden on 1 February before they had an altercation on their way home at around 9pm.
The State’s main witness, Nhlalo Gumbo of number 9081 Robert Sinyoka, Ncube’s brother-in-law who was following behind with his colleague, Luka Mupande, intervened and restrained the accused from assaulting the deceased.
“The accused then picked up a stick and struck Gumbo once on the forehead. Gumbo then retaliated and hit the accused with clenched fists and he fell to the ground,” read part of the State outline.
“The accused then proceeded to Pumula Police Station where he made a report that he was assaulted by Gumbo.”
While Ncube went to the police station to file the report of assault against Gumbo, the latter proceeded with the now deceased to his place of residence while proposing to her along the way, the State claims.
On arrival at his place of residence, Gumbo had sexual intercourse with the now deceased.
After making a report at the police station, the accused went to look for his wife at their place of residence and her parent’s house but could not find her.
“Accused then suspected that she had gone with Gumbo to his house. He went back to his house where he armed himself with an axe with a metal handle measuring 42cm and a knobkerrie.
“On arrival at Gumbo’s house, he knocked at the door and demanded to be let in after hearing his wife’s voice. Gumbo opened the door and the accused attacked him with an axe resulting in him sustaining a minor laceration on the left shoulder.
“Gumbo ran out of the house into a bushy area leaving the accused attacking Moyo. He then heard the now deceased screaming for help saying the deceased was going to kill her,” the State outline reads.
The accused continued to strike Moyo several times with a knobkerrie and an axe on the head and body. Musa Zulu, who was sleeping at the same homestead, heard the screams and woke up to investigate.
She found the accused assaulting Moyo and pleaded with him to hand over the axe and knobkerrie. After handing over the axe and knobkerrie, the accused continued to kick his wife while she lay on the ground and forcefully took her to a nearby bush where he continued to assault her all over the body using a switch.
Zulu returned with two members of the neighbourhood watch committee, Caroline Sibanda and Belina Msimanga, and found the accused about 250 metres from Gumbo’s homestead.
“Moyo was sitting down and leaning her head against the rock and her clothes soaked in blood while she was bleeding profusely.
“The accused was standing next to her while holding a stick. Sibanda and Msimanga then proceeded to arrest the accused,” the outline continues.
Zulu, Sibanda and Msimanga then put Moyo who could not walk due to the assault in a wheelbarrow and pushed her for about 1,5km to Robert Sinyoka Primary School where they met an ambulance which took the now deceased to Mpilo Hospital.
Moyo died on her way to the hospital as a result of the assault by the accused, according to a post-mortem report.
In his warned and cautioned statement, Ncube admitted killing his wife. However, in terms of the High Court rules, a plea of guilty is not entered until a court has all the evidence.
“I admit to the charge of killing Moyo. It was not my intention to kill her but this is what happened,” Ncube said in his reply.
On the first altercation Ncube told the court that they were having a disagreement over who would cook when they arrived home.
“I was saying on our arrival she will cook and she was saying she was not going to cook.”
He further denied arming himself, saying he wrestled the axe from Gumbo after he threatened to strike him. Ncube is in custody and his trial is expected to begin at the next term of the High Court.
