News / National
Kombi conductor hangs self after baby death false alarm
08 Dec 2017 at 05:17hrs | Views
A COMMUTER omnibus conductor from Bulawayo's Pumula Old suburb allegedly hanged himself after his live-in girlfriend told him he had killed their baby when the couple was fighting.
Mduduzi Nkomo (30) allegedly fought with Ms Rita Ndlovu (28) with whom he has a one-month-old baby on Tuesday after midnight.
Sources told The Chronicle that Nkomo tried to strangle Ndlovu while she was holding the baby and the baby was squashed. After the fight, sources said, the couple discovered the baby was not breathing and Ndlovu accused Nkomo of having caused its death.
Nkomo allegedly panicked and committed suicide at about 2AM in a bush near his home.
The baby regained consciousness soon after.
In an interview, Ms Ndlovu yesterday said Nkomo choked her while she was carrying their child who fell unconscious while he assaulted her.
"After the child fell unconscious, I thought she had died and I told him that the baby was no longer breathing. He panicked and told me to rush to the police station and call an ambulance. I rushed out when I came back with the police officers he had vanished. I thought he was in hiding," said Ms Ndlovu.
She said she only learnt that he had committed suicide on her return from Mpilo Central Hospital where she and the baby had been rushed for treatment.
Ms Ndlovu said their misunderstanding started when she asked Nkomo why his cellphone was being answered by a woman. However, Nkomo's family did not buy Ms Ndlovu's story saying she was dishonest and had another man in her life besides Nkomo.
The family spokesperson Mrs Winnie Ncube said Ms Ndlovu even deleted messages in Nkomo's cellphone that could have exposed the reason why the two were fighting.
She said the family does not even believe that the child was Nkomo's as there is another man who claimed to have impregnated her.
"We've a lot of questions that are not being answered. Why did she delete messages on his cellphone? What was she trying to conceal in deleting the messages? We don't even believe that he (Nkomo) fathered this baby because her previous boyfriend came here and assaulted her asking why she had run away with his unborn child," said Mrs Ncube.
She said even if Nkomo committed suicide it has to do with Ms Ndlovu and her former boyfriend whom they did not mention.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the suicide, saying police were worried about loss of lives in domestic disputes.
This comes after a kombi driver from Pumula South suburb allegedly murdered his wife before committing suicide on Tuesday afternoon.
Mlungisi Moyo (40) allegedly strangled his wife Thandiwe Sibanda (33) before hanging himself from roof trusses using a piece of wire.
"We're concerned with domestic violence cases that have turned fatal. We call on couples and other Bulawayo residents to exercise restraint when they are having differences instead of resorting violence. Those having problems should seek counselling services from community leaders, church leaders, family and even approach the police," said Insp Simango.
Mduduzi Nkomo (30) allegedly fought with Ms Rita Ndlovu (28) with whom he has a one-month-old baby on Tuesday after midnight.
Sources told The Chronicle that Nkomo tried to strangle Ndlovu while she was holding the baby and the baby was squashed. After the fight, sources said, the couple discovered the baby was not breathing and Ndlovu accused Nkomo of having caused its death.
Nkomo allegedly panicked and committed suicide at about 2AM in a bush near his home.
The baby regained consciousness soon after.
In an interview, Ms Ndlovu yesterday said Nkomo choked her while she was carrying their child who fell unconscious while he assaulted her.
"After the child fell unconscious, I thought she had died and I told him that the baby was no longer breathing. He panicked and told me to rush to the police station and call an ambulance. I rushed out when I came back with the police officers he had vanished. I thought he was in hiding," said Ms Ndlovu.
She said she only learnt that he had committed suicide on her return from Mpilo Central Hospital where she and the baby had been rushed for treatment.
The family spokesperson Mrs Winnie Ncube said Ms Ndlovu even deleted messages in Nkomo's cellphone that could have exposed the reason why the two were fighting.
She said the family does not even believe that the child was Nkomo's as there is another man who claimed to have impregnated her.
"We've a lot of questions that are not being answered. Why did she delete messages on his cellphone? What was she trying to conceal in deleting the messages? We don't even believe that he (Nkomo) fathered this baby because her previous boyfriend came here and assaulted her asking why she had run away with his unborn child," said Mrs Ncube.
She said even if Nkomo committed suicide it has to do with Ms Ndlovu and her former boyfriend whom they did not mention.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the suicide, saying police were worried about loss of lives in domestic disputes.
This comes after a kombi driver from Pumula South suburb allegedly murdered his wife before committing suicide on Tuesday afternoon.
Mlungisi Moyo (40) allegedly strangled his wife Thandiwe Sibanda (33) before hanging himself from roof trusses using a piece of wire.
"We're concerned with domestic violence cases that have turned fatal. We call on couples and other Bulawayo residents to exercise restraint when they are having differences instead of resorting violence. Those having problems should seek counselling services from community leaders, church leaders, family and even approach the police," said Insp Simango.
Source - chronicle
