News / Local
Cowdray Park woman killed, dumped in storm drain
20 Aug 2013 at 05:43hrs | Views
A 35-year-old flea market vendor from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo was allegedly brutally killed before her undressed body was dumped in a storm drain, in an incident that has left residents of the high-density suburb startled.
According to neighbours, the woman identified as Mrs Sithabile Ncube, a former illegal foreign currency dealer commonly known as usiphatheleni, was last seen on Sunday at about 9pm at her house in Cowdray Park.
"We last saw Sithabile on Sunday at her house. In fact, when I woke up this morning I just saw people rushing to a nearby drainage system after the news had spread throughout the suburb that there was a body of a woman lying in a storm drain.
"When I went there I was shocked to discover that it was my neighbour," said Ms Sithandazile Moyo.
Another neighbour said they heard noise at about 4am as the woman screamed for help while being attacked.
"We were asleep with my husband when all of a sudden we were awakened by the noise, which emanated from across the road.
"We just ignored it and little did we know that it was our neighbour who was being attacked until later when we saw people gathered near our house.
"On investigating, we discovered that it was Mrs Ncube's body lying in a pool of blood with bruises and deep cuts all over," said the neighbour.
The woman's husband, Mr Costa Ncube (41) said when the incident occurred he was out of town.
"I was phoned by a relative at about 8am telling me that my wife had been killed and when I arrived at the scene people were gathered there.
"We then took the body to UBH with the help from police officers. As far as I am concerned I have no idea whatsoever how it occurred since I was out of town when it happened," said Mr Ncube.
When the Chronicle newscrew arrived at Mr Ncube's house, mourners among them neighbours and relatives had started trickling in to pass their condolences to the bereaved family.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident and said they were still investigating to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death.
"I can confirm that there is a woman who was found dead in a drainage system in Cowdray Park.
"The body was discovered by passersby who then alerted our officers who took the body to UBH for a post-mortem. The woman had two deep cuts on her back and several bruises on the elbows, an indication that she could have been stabbed with a sharp object.
"We also found sjamboks, sticks and pieces of wire, which we suspect were used in brutally attacking the woman.
"We are therefore treating it as murder. As police we are now appealing to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact any nearest police station," said Insp Moyo.
According to neighbours, the woman identified as Mrs Sithabile Ncube, a former illegal foreign currency dealer commonly known as usiphatheleni, was last seen on Sunday at about 9pm at her house in Cowdray Park.
"We last saw Sithabile on Sunday at her house. In fact, when I woke up this morning I just saw people rushing to a nearby drainage system after the news had spread throughout the suburb that there was a body of a woman lying in a storm drain.
"When I went there I was shocked to discover that it was my neighbour," said Ms Sithandazile Moyo.
Another neighbour said they heard noise at about 4am as the woman screamed for help while being attacked.
"We were asleep with my husband when all of a sudden we were awakened by the noise, which emanated from across the road.
"We just ignored it and little did we know that it was our neighbour who was being attacked until later when we saw people gathered near our house.
"On investigating, we discovered that it was Mrs Ncube's body lying in a pool of blood with bruises and deep cuts all over," said the neighbour.
"I was phoned by a relative at about 8am telling me that my wife had been killed and when I arrived at the scene people were gathered there.
"We then took the body to UBH with the help from police officers. As far as I am concerned I have no idea whatsoever how it occurred since I was out of town when it happened," said Mr Ncube.
When the Chronicle newscrew arrived at Mr Ncube's house, mourners among them neighbours and relatives had started trickling in to pass their condolences to the bereaved family.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident and said they were still investigating to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death.
"I can confirm that there is a woman who was found dead in a drainage system in Cowdray Park.
"The body was discovered by passersby who then alerted our officers who took the body to UBH for a post-mortem. The woman had two deep cuts on her back and several bruises on the elbows, an indication that she could have been stabbed with a sharp object.
"We also found sjamboks, sticks and pieces of wire, which we suspect were used in brutally attacking the woman.
"We are therefore treating it as murder. As police we are now appealing to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact any nearest police station," said Insp Moyo.
Source - chronicle
