Man stones wife to death

IN a typical Sharia law application, a Gwanda man allegedly stoned his wife to death after he stumbled upon a message which had allegedly been sent by his wife to his best friend suggesting that the two wanted to kill him and blossom their sexual relationship.

Tsoanelo Sibanda (39) of Pumula village, Ntalale in Gwanda under Chief Mathe allegedly hit his wife Letshani Ndlovu (38) twice with a stone after she tried to flee when he confronted her about the alleged affair with his friend Sipho Ndlovu. Sibanda appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Nomagugu Ncube last week for initial remand. She advised him to apply for bail at the High court.

According to the charge sheet, allegations against Sibanda are that on 18 May, he had a misunderstanding with his wife Ndlovu (38) after he discovered that she was having an affair with his friend, Sipho. Realising that the argument was getting out of hand, Ndlovu tried to flee but it is alleged that Sibanda chased after her kicking her on the back until she fell to the ground.

He allegedly picked up a stone and struck her on the head and left ear until she bled excessively before he was refrained by his father, Phineas Sibanda who is the village head. Ndlovu died on his father-in-law's lap after her husband had already left the scene.

Phineas had sent Brighton Nare and Kemelo Sebata to look for transport to drive Ndlovu to hospital but it did not help because she died before they could take her to hospital. Nare and Sebata then apprehended Sibanda and handed him to the police at Tshongwe base. During a pre-trial meeting, Sibanda admitted that he killed his wife because he was agitated after he stumbled upon a message in his wife's phone directed to Sipho where the two were planning to kill him so that they continue with their relationship freely.