The Sunday News
Thulani Ndlovu
THE brother of a former British service man, Robert Wood, who was found dead in his rented Four Winds home in Bulawayo, has abandoned the inquest because he was “being followed by three suspicious men”.
Mr Ian Wood from Kent, England, was expected to cross-examine witnesses on behalf of his family after the Zimbabwean Government invited him to attend the inquest.
Mr Wood has on numerous occasions accused his brother’s Zimbabwean wife Henrietta Gugulethu Dube of murdering Robert and forging his will in her favour.
The court is expected to rule on whether the will is authentic or forged.
Ms Dube has denied all allegations levelled against her and told the inquest that the former serviceman committed suicide.
Mr Wood was expected to attend the inquest on Monday last week, but he never appeared. The inquest continued, without him.
Sunday News spoke to Mr Wood who is now in England and he said despite the purported danger to his life, he still had faith that the Zimbabwean authorities would reach a just decision in the inquest.
Asked about whether he made a report to the police, he said it was better to leave though he did not fear the men who were tailing him.
“All I want is the truth, and justice. It is possible that people who got my brother out of the way might try and do the same thing to me,” he said.
Mrs Thobile Clarke, Ms Dube’s mother, said they were interviewed by the police concerning the men following Mr Wood.
“Police asked us whether we have knowledge or we have anything to do with the men who were following him. I categorically denied and stated that this is not how we operate, we know nothing about the incident,” she said.
Mrs Clarke blamed Mr Wood for attracting criminals after offering $25 000 to anyone with information regarding the alleged murder of his brother.
“You cannot go around telling the whole country that you have $25 000 on you. Obviously people out there will follow you, because everyone wants money. If there is anyone to blame for people tailing Wood, that is Mr Wood himself,” Mrs Clarke said.
On Monday last week, Ms Esnath Moyo, Ms Dube’s grandmother, professed ignorance about a signature on the will written by the late Wood that has been attributed to her. Ms Dube previously claimed in court that she discovered a will among Wood’s documents in South Africa and said her grandmother, Moyo, was a signatory to many of Wood’s documents, including his will.
