Nurse brutally killed for quitting adulterous relationship

A NURSE based in Nkayi district, Matabeleland North province, was allegedly murdered by her married lover after she ended their five-year adulterous relationship.

Tawanda Mahohoma (50) used an iron bar to assault Ms Brilliant Ngwenya (33) all over the body and thereafter bashed her head several times with a brick. She died on the spot.

The incident occurred at around 4PM on Tuesday outside Ms Ngwenya's house at Nkayi Business Centre.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the murder.

"I can confirm that we received a report of murder. A woman was struck several times all over her body with some object. She was also bashed several times on the head with a brick until she died. Police have since arrested the suspect and he is expected to appear in court soon to answer to murder charges," she said.

Insp Makonese urged members of the public to desist from engaging in violence to resolve disputes.

"People need to learn to resolve their differences amicably without resorting to violence. As police we are worried that despite all these warnings, people still attack each other resulting in deaths. People should engage the police, church elders or family members to assist in resolving disputes as opposed to resorting to violence," she said.

A source close to Ms Ngwenya said the two had allegedly been in a relationship for about five years.

The source said on the fateful day, Mahohoma visited Ms Ngwenya at around 4pm.

Ms Ngwenya, a trained nurse from Hwange district, got a job in May this year and was deployed to Nkayi district.

Mahohoma's Tuesday visit was the second in less than a week after he visited Ms Ngwenya mid last week and that is when she informed him that they could not continue with the affair because she had established that he was married.

Mahohoma is said to have turned violent prompting Ms Ngwenya to seek a peace order which she was granted.

On Saturday, Mahohoma returned to his family which is in Hwange town only to return on Tuesday when he allegedly murdered Ms Ngwenya.

The source said Ms Ngwenya was about to leave her house when she met Mahohoma who then attacked her without saying a word. He allegedly assaulted her all over the body with an iron bar before bashing her head several times with a brick and she died on the spot.

Nkayi District Medical Officer Dr Thabani Moyo said Ms Ngwenya had just knocked off when she was murdered.

"We are told a passerby tried to intervene but Mahohoma was too powerful for him. Seeing that he wouldn't back off, the passerby rushed to the police station and reported the matter. By the time police arrived, Mahohoma had fled from the scene.

Police however caught up with him while looking for lifts along Nkayi Road and arrested him," said Dr Moyo.

He said Ms Ngwenya was undergoing an induction at Nkayi district hospital before moving to Fansoni Council Clinic where she had been deployed.

Members of staff close to Ms Ngwenya said they saw Mahohoma whom they knew as her boyfriend earlier on the fateful day carrying a metal bar saying he was looking for Ms Ngwenya.

They said at one time they spotted him drinking beer at a bar at Nkayi Business Centre.