Man cut wife's head off

A-31-YEAR-Old man from Inyathi in Matabeleland North allegedly cut his wife's head off and tried to kill himself by slitting his throat and drinking poison.

This followed an infidelity row between the couple.

David Chaloma of Goodhope Village 2, Siganda, who is battling for life under police guard at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, allegedly decapitated Isabel Mpala (29).

He then allegedly cut himself on the throat with an Okapi knife.

On realising that it was not enough to end his life; he consumed an unknown amount of organophosphate poison and was discovered by his two children who are in Grade One and ECD.

The incident occurred at around 5PM on Wednesday.

Sources said Mpala's head was crushed with both her eyes and some of her teeth having been picked up from the floor of the couple's bedroom.

"It is alleged the couple had a long standing infidelity dispute, with Chaloma suspecting that his wife was having an affair with his cousin. On that fateful the two had fought over why Mpala wanted to stop using the contraceptive she was on," said a source that preferred anonymity.

Inyathi District Medical Officer, Dr Tafadzwa Gwera, said they had attended to Chaloma but had referred him to Mpilo Central Hospital for further management. "We received a case of attempted suicide where a man tried to take his own life by cutting open his throat using a knife, before allegedly consuming organophosphate poison.

"After temporarily managing on the poison consumption, we transferred him to Mpilo Central Hospital for further management," he said.
Matabeleland North acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala confirmed the murder and suicide bid.

"I can confirm we received a report of a 31- year-old man who allegedly murdered his 29-year -old wife by axing her on the neck before he went on to try to kill himself by cutting his throat and taking poison. The man is hospitalised under police guard," he said.

Chaloma was taking care of his relative, Mr Ngwenya's homestead in Bubi where he allegedly committed the crime.

Mrs Ngwenya said she knew the couple as happily married and the incident had come as a great shock to her family.

A source close to the case said Chaloma had long suspected that his wife of having an affair with one of his cousins and had actually tried to talk to the two.

"He once involved family on the alleged affair. This week the two had been fighting over why she wanted to remove the Jadelle implant from her arm. After the incident, Chaloma, speaking in gasps, revealed that he had faked a trip to Bulawayo to trap the two love birds.

"Later during the day, he followed his wife to the hospital where she had said she would visit to remove that contraceptive. When he didn't find her, he returned home and instead followed his wife's shoe prints which later joined those of a man and the two walked deep into the bush," said the source.

The source said Chaloma returned to his home and waited for his wife who arrived later and an argument arose over where she had been.

"This resulted in the killing and Chaloma said he had been angered by his wife's behaviour," said the source.

Last month, a 46-year-old man from Inyathi allegedly crushed his wife and cousin's heads with a hammer before stabbing each of them with a spear more than seven times following a domestic misunderstanding. The suspect, who had fled, was apprehended in Masvingo and is in police custody.