The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
A GWERU man went berserk and fatally axed his wife before committing suicide by hanging himself from roof trusses following a dispute over alleged infidelity, police have confirmed.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident which occurred last Tuesday at about 4am, when Pride Hove (30) of Hertfordshire low-density suburb in Gweru struck his wife, Patience Matura (22) with an axe on the neck after he stumbled on a love message in her phone from another man.
It is understood that the two had been on separation prior to the fateful day.
Insp Goko said the two were sleeping in their rented house and it is suspected that at at about 2am Dube saw a message in his wife’s phone and suspected that she was having an affair with another man and confronted her.
A heated argument ensued over the message with allegations of infidelity resulting in their neighbour, Tobias Mavhunduka intervening to refrain them.
Mavhunduka mediated the matter for two hours before returning to his house.
It is suspected that Hove seized the opportunity and struck Matura once on the neck and she died on the spot before he hanged himself from roof trusses in their bedroom. Insp Goko said the two’s bodies were discovered by their landlord, Swedi Phiri in the afternoon.
“I can confirm that we are investigating a murder case where a 30-year-old male adult killed his wife following a domestic disputing emanating from suspected infidelity. It is suspected that Hove saw a message in his wife Matura’s phone and accused her of having an affair. The two had a misunderstanding but were refrained by a neighbour.
When the neighbor left, it is suspected that Hove struck Matura with an axe on the neck before committing suicide by hanging.
Their bodies were discovered in the afternoon by their landlord who had just returned from Masvingo. He noticed that Hove’s body was hanging from the trusses while his wife’s body was lying on the ground in a pool of blood,” he said.
Insp Goko said the matter was reported to police and the two bodies were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital mortuary.
