'Lazy husband' kills wife

A 75-year-old man from West Nicholson in Matabeleland South Province allegedly killed his wife for calling him lazy while they were cultivating their field.

Matabeleland South Police spokesperson Inspector Lovenes Mangena confirmed the murder case which occurred on Monday last week.

"Phineas Vhuku who is married to Shingairai Vhuku (71) of Village 15 Bwana area under chief Marupi were working in the fields. They were working in the fields and at around 10am the husband told the wife that he was tired and wanted to rest. The wife shouted at him and accused him of being lazy leading to a fight," she said.

Inspector Mangena said in the heat of anger, the wife struck her husband on the back once with a hoe and he sustained a deep cut.

She said the husband grabbed the hoe and threw it at his wife and it hit her with the sharp side at he back of her head and she suffered a deep cut.

"Their son in law separated the fighting couple. They both went to the Masase police base to get a police report so that they could be attended to at the health center. They were referred to Masase hospital and were later transferred to Gwanda provincial Hospital," she said.

Inspector Mangena said the husband was discharged after receiving treatment while the wife was transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital as her condition was not improving.

She said her condition deteriorated and she died on 1 February leading to the arrest of her husband.

"We appeal to members of the public to refrain from violence and try to tolerate each other. A life has been lost over a very petty issue which could have been solved without violence," she said.