The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
A JILTED Gweru taxi driver who allegedly went berserk and ripped open his long time girlfriend’s stomach, gouged out her eyes with a screw driver and strangled her before attempting to commit suicide by downing poison, has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Charles Chifamba of Mkoba Village 17 high-density suburb in Gweru was also admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital psychiatric ward after he allegedly lost control of his mental faculties following the cold blooded murder.
Chifamba is reportedly critically ill due to the after effects of the poison he drank after committing the crime in an attempt to evade arrest.
Gweru Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, recently confirmed that Chifamba had been admitted to the institution’s psychiatric ward.
Chifamba was supposed to appear in court last week Wednesday.
He recently appeared before Gweru magistrate, Ms Judith Taruvinga, to answer to murder charges.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody at Gweru Provincial Hospital to 11 December after the court considered that he still needed medical attention.
Chifamba was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
The State led by Mr Andrew Marimo alleged that on Wednesday last week at about 3pm, the accused, allegedly stabbed and ripped open his estranged girlfriend, Ms Fadzai Chipfunde’s stomach with a kitchen knife, gouged out her eyes using a screw driver before striking her with a brick on the head.
The accused, who was suspected to have been intoxicated, went on to strangle Ms Chipfunde.
It is alleged that, on the said date, the accused went to Ms Chipfunde’s place where the two had a misunderstanding after she had allegedly ditched him for another man.
The court heard that the two had an altercation after the accused had confronted his girlfriend over the matter.
It is also alleged that the accused dragged Ms Chipfunde to her bedroom where a heated argument ensued.
The accused is said to have started assaulting Ms Chipfunde all over her body before stabbing her in the stomach with a kitchen knife.
He went on to gouge her eyes out using a screw driver and struck her with a brick on the head before strangling her using a cloth.
The accused tried to commit suicide by downing poison after committing the crime.
He was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital by fellow tenants where he is receiving treatment.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused.
Ms Chipfunde’s body was left in the room for about 24 hours before being retrieved on Friday by police and relatives.
