Man tries to dump wife's dead body in taxi

A Bulawayo man allegedly transported his wife's corpse from South Africa and reportedly tried to dump it in a taxi in the city.

Police saved him from an angry mob that wanted to mete out instant justice on him at Basch Street Terminus also known as Egodini.

 Milton Ncube was seen by vendors transferring his wife's dead body from a Toyota Quantum with South African registration plates, into the taxi while the driver had gone to buy airtime.

They immediately surrounded the taxi and the quantum baying for the man's head.

One of the vendors snatched the ignition keys to both vehicles as the crowd menacingly grew larger.

A tout at Egodini said: "The man looked like he wanted to dump the body the body and flee. It was the quick arrival of the police that saved him."

Witnesses said the situation nearly turned ugly after the bewildered taxi driver agreed with police officers that the issue should be finalised away from the crowd.

They believed the officers wanted to be bribed to sweep the matter under the carpet.

"An ambulance was called but the medics refused to take the body away as they said it had been dead for more than 24 hours. They said ambulances do not carry dead bodies," said a vendor.

He said the police took the keys from the person who had snatched them and returned them to the drivers.

Ncube said he was not aware his wife was dead as he was transporting her to Brunapeg Hospital, in Mangwe.

"She was very ill and needed medical attention. I thought she was alive and I never wanted to dump her in the taxi, said Ncube.