Judgment day for cheating wife killer

A man assaulted his "adulterous" wife with a knobkerrie before axing her to death after catching her in bed with his brother-in-law, a High Court judge heard yesterday.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo heard this when Mandlenkosi Ncube, 34, of Robert Sinyoka Estate in Pumula, appeared before her in connection with the murder of his wife, Nobuhle Moyo, 28, after he found her in bed with his brother-in-law Nhlalo Gumbo.

Justice Moyo deferred the matter to today for judgment.

Prosecuting, Timothy Makoni said on February 1 last year shortly after 9PM, Ncube and Moyo were walking home from a beer drink at Pumula beer garden when they had an altercation.

The dispute resulted in Moyo assaulting his wife. Gumbo and another neighbour, Luka Mpande who were walking behind the couple, restrained Ncube from assaulting his wife. "When Gumbo and Mpande tried to restrain Ncube from assaulting his wife, a scuffle ensued resulting in a fist fight. The two men teamed up and assaulted Ncube and they left him lying on the ground before they fled together with Moyo," said Makoni.

The court heard that along the way Gumbo proposed love to Moyo and she agreed. The two alleged lovers then proceeded to Gumbo's homestead for a sex tryst.

The court heard that Ncube later rose to his feet and proceeded to Pumula Police Station to report the assault. Soon after reporting the matter, Ncube went home and he did not find his wife. He then proceeded to his mother-in-law's homestead where he again failed to locate Moyo.

The court heard that Ncube became suspicious and returned to his place, armed himself with an axe and headed to Gumbo's homestead. "On arrival at Gumbo's home, Ncube stood by the door to eavesdrop during which he heard his wife's voice. He knocked and Gumbo opened the door," said Makoni.

Ncube stormed the bedroom hut and charged at the two lovers. He struck Gumbo with the axe on the left shoulder but he managed to escape leaving his lover at the mercy of her husband.

"Ncube struck Moyo several times on the head and body using his axe and a knobkerrie, which he had found in Gumbo's hut," said Makoni.

Musa Zulu, who lives in the same homestead, woke up from her bedroom after she heard Moyo screaming and pleaded with Ncube to stop assaulting his wife.

Ncube then surrendered the axe and knobkerrie.

The court heard that Zulu went to inform members of the neighbourhood watch committee and in her absence, Ncube dragged his wife out of the courtyard to a nearby maize field where he continued to assault her using a tree branch until she fell unconscious.

"When Zulu returned with two members of the neighbourhood watch committee, they found Ncube and Moyo not at home. They then heard her screaming and followed them," said Makoni.

Moyo was placed in a wheelbarrow and taken to Robert Sinyoka Primary School where an ambulance arrived and took her to Mpilo Central Hospital, but she died on the way.

In her testimony, Zulu told the court that she woke up after she heard dogs barking at Moyo when he walked into the homestead.

She said she heard Ncube shouting at Moyo, calling her a prostitute and accusing her of killing their child.

"Ncube assaulted his wife with fists and kicked her all over her body and when she ran to another hut to seek refuge, her husband followed her and continued attacking her. I restrained him as he was about to strike her with an axe and pleaded with him to surrender the axe and he complied," said Zulu.

Zulu said Moyo could not stand on her feet after the assault and she had to be pushed in a wheelbarrow to the school where an ambulance arrived and ferried her to hospital.

In his defence, through his lawyer, Bruce Masamvu of Dube Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners, Ncube said he felt betrayed by his wife and acted out of anger.

"I admit that I caused the death of my wife, but I didn't use an axe to kill her. I assaulted her with sticks, fists and booted feet because I was angry after I found her in bed with my brother-in-law. She betrayed my trust and what's particularly painful is that we were still mourning our child who had died a few weeks before the incident," said Sibanda.