Man kills self after beating wife to death

A 37-YEAR-OLD bigamist from Lupane allegedly committed suicide by hanging on Sunday after fatally assaulting his first wife who he suspected of having an extra-marital affair, police have said.

Hloniphani Ncube was customarily married to Nobuhle Moyo who is the deceased and another woman.

The trio stayed together in Gandanngula village under Chief Mabhikwa.

Ncube allegedly assaulted the now deceased with a knobkerrie on Thursday in a bush between Gandangula and Gwamba until she became unconscious.

Ncube allegedly borrowed a scotch cart from a villager which he used to carry her home where he allegedly detained her in their bedroom hut without taking her to hospital for medical treatment.

The women died on Saturday night and Ncube's lifeless body was found hanging with a piece of wire and rope from a tree about 50 metres from his homestead on Sunday morning.

Some neighbours reportedly passed near Ncube's homestead on Sunday morning and saw him hanging from a tree, but thought he was just standing under it as his feet were on the ground after the wire broke.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed that Ncube committed suicide by hanging after severely assaulting his wife with a knobkerrie.

"I can confirm that we received a report of a man who assaulted his wife with a knobkerrie before committing suicide," he said without giving details.

Ncube's father Mr Couden Ncube said the family was still in shock as it had to attend to two bodies.

"We are still in shock and trying to come to terms with the whole incident. Police have taken the bodies for postmortem and we just leave everything to God and the law to take its course," said Mr Ncube who.

He said his son and Moyo had no children together while she had two kids from her previous relationship.

Villagers told the Chronicle that Moyo's body was severely injured from the assault by her husband and there was blood all over the bedroom hut.

Moyo had reportedly gone to Gwamba the previous week to do a piece job and Ncube got wind that she was seeing another man there.

He followed her on Thursday and the two set-off to go to their marital home and started arguing about the issue along the way.

Ncube allegedly started beating her up with a knobkerrie until she became unconscious.

He allegedly looked for water and poured on her body trying to render first aid but to no avail. He then sought a cart to carry her home where he detained her in their bedroom hut without seeking medical attention despite advice by other family members.

Gandangula village head Mr Khumbula Mpala said after killing his wife, Ncube wrapped her body with a bedsheet and laid it on the bed.

"His father came to me on Sunday morning to report that his son had committed suicide. We phoned police and at that time no-one knew that there was another body in the house. The other wife was still sleeping when neighbours who discovered Ncube's body woke her up and that is when it was discovered that MaMoyo had died too," he said.