Soldier shoots wife over infidelity

A 29-YEAR-OLD soldier from the 22 Infantry Battalion in Mudzi facing charges of murdering his wife has filed a bail application at the High Court.

Simbarashe Karonga is accused of shooting his wife Nomatter Munetsi in the head with an AK47 rifle at close range in a domestic dispute.

Through his lawyer, Widias Chishiri, Karonga who is seeking admission to $100 bail, said he will deny the charges when his trial kicks off.

Chishiri submitted that his client returned home from his workplace without notifying his wife to which he found her with another man.

"Upon arrival, he knocked the door and was shocked to see his wife emerging from the bedroom in the company of a certain man who remains unknown to the accused.

"The two hurriedly bolted out of the room. Whilst in the heat of anger and frustration, the accused fired a shot in the direction of the man without necessarily intending to harm him but rather inducing him to stop," said Chishiri.

The lawyer further submitted "regrettably the bullet deflected and hit the accused's wife resulting in her instant death."

Chishiri also dismissed the prosecution's reason to deny his client bail saying the accused is a flight risk when Karonga handed himself to the police after the death of his wife.

Karonga was denied bail at Kotwa, a circuit court for the Mutoko magistrates court and referred to the High Court.

The State is alleging that the accused committed the offence at Chimunhu village under Chief Makota in Mudzi on Christmas Eve.

According to the State, Karonga sneaked from the army camp with the rifle concealed in a sack and shot his wife after accusing her of infidelity.