Pregnant 'sex cheat' axed to death

A Gokwe man axed his pregnant wife of four years to death before committing suicide by hanging after he allegedly caught her in a compromising position on their matrimonial bed with her ex-husband.

Nkululeko Mlotshwa, a pushcart operator, axed his wife, Stabile Dube, in cold blood after suspecting her of having an extra-marital affair with her ex-husband, a suspected money changer.

The spine-chilling incident is suspected to have happened on Monday evening at a house in Mapfungautsi suburb in Gokwe Town. Residents, however, only discovered the incident on Tuesday at around 3PM when neighbours became suspicious after seeing a blood-stained axe outside the couple's house.

The couple was staying alone in a two-roomed house.

Dube had two children with her ex-husband. Sources said it is suspected the ex-husband was responsible for the pregnancy.

"Dube was heavily pregnant at the time of her death and it's believed that the ex-husband was responsible. Mlotshwa was also known as Malume in Mapfungautsi. Malume was popular since he used to carry people's stuff using his pushcart," said Joel Shoko, a neighbour.

He said after divorcing her first husband, Dube married Mlotshwa in 2011. Shoko said the couple failed to have children for some years until Dube fell pregnant recently.

Shoko alleged that Dube continued to secretly see her ex-husband.

Another neighbour, Thelma Phiri, said word started doing the rounds in the small town that Dube was cheating on Mlotshwa with her ex-husband.

Phiri said it was also alleged that Dube was impregnated by her ex-husband.

"On Monday afternoon, Mlotshwa received wind that Dube and her ex-husband where camped at his house. Mlotshwa was at the town centre touting for clients when he got the message. He wasted no time and rushed home where he forcibly opened the bedroom door. Dube's ex-husband immediately escaped," she said.

Phiri said Mlotshwa and his wife were last seen alive on Monday but their bodies were discovered the following day.

"We don't know what happened to the duo but on the next morning we were called to the house when some people said they hadn't seen the couple the whole day. They said there was a blood-stained axe outside the house," she said.

Phiri said further investigations revealed the horrible sight of a severed head and another body hanging from the roof. "The police were called in and they attended the scene," she said.

Police sources in Gokwe said when they got to the scene, Dube's body was covered with a blood-stained sheet.

The sources said the room looked like a slaughter house with blood and small pieces of human flesh all over the place.

"Initial investigations indicate Mlotshwa axed his wife to death before hanging himself. We're however investigating," said the police source.

Gokwe Town Council chairperson, Councillor Ester Senga, confirmed the incident which she said happened in Ward 5.

"I just heard about it and am still to get the full details but this is a very sad development which is uncalled for," she said.

Acting Midlands police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende, could not be reached for comment yesterday as she was said to be out of office. Her mobile phone was not reachable.