Love triangle, MSU lecturer commits suicide

A SENIOR lecturer at the Midlands State University (MSU) allegedly committed suicide by drinking poison, a day after his alleged girlfriend, Netsai Ncube, was brutally murdered by her husband after bragging about their extramarital affair.

Arnold Kapenzi, of Southdowns suburb in Gweru, who was the Executive Dean in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management and Agriculture and had worked at the MSU since its inception 17 years ago, died at Kwekwe General Hospital yesterday after taking a poisonous substance.

Kapenzi's death follows that of his alleged married lover, Ncube, who was also a lecturer in his department.

Ncube was killed by her husband Fred Nyamhanga Shavi, 63, also of Southdowns suburb in Gweru after she told him of the affair she allegedly claimed was in revenge for her husband's alleged infidelity.

Shavi was employed as an Education Inspector in the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry and allegedly hired assassins to kill Kapenzi when his wife told him about the affair.

It emerged yesterday that Shavi allegedly offered the assassins $1,200 to kill his wife's boyfriend and paid them $600 as deposit for the job.

Kapenzi's younger brother, Cornelius, yesterday said they were not aware of the circumstances leading to the lecturer's death.

"We were advised last night (Sunday) that he was sick and we drove to Gweru. This morning (Monday), we received information that he didn't make it. So we're going there to meet with the doctor and the police in Kwekwe to ascertain the cause of his death," said Cornelius.

MSU acting spokesperson, Mirirai Mawere, said the cause of death is yet to be established. Sources close to the family said Kapenzi took his own life hours after attending Ncube's funeral wake.

Ncube's brother, who identified himself as Munyaradzi, said Kapenzi had been to the funeral wake on Saturday. After leaving Ncube's funeral wake, sources said Kapenzi went to his farm in Kwekwe where he allegedly consumed a yet to be identified poison.

The sources said he was rushed to Kwekwe General Hospital where he died yesterday morning. Sources said Kapenzi and Ncube were known lovers in their faculty.

"I understand that Kapenzi is the one who made sure she got employed at MSU and they were known lovers," said a fellow lecturer. It is understood that Shavi hired a group of gold panners from Lower Gweru to kill Kapenzi and paid them $600. The balance was supposed to be paid once the job was done.

Shavi's friend, who declined to be named, said when the assassins received the money they reported the matter at Gweru Rural Police Station.

They allegedly slaughtered a goat and gouged its eyes intending to give Shavi on the pretext that they had killed Kapenzi. They allegedly called him, but he did not pick up his phone.

Ncube's relatives, however, alleged that Shavi was abusive and promiscuous. They claimed that the couple's problems started when Shavi allegedly impregnated three other women including Ncube's 14-year-old younger sister, who lived with them.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that Ncube was awarded a scholarship to go and study in the United States and her husband tried to stop her in fear of being dumped once she relocates to another country.

The Deputy Officer Commanding Gweru Urban, Superintendent Elias Chivandire, said Shavi would appear in court soon to face murder charges following his arrest in Sanyati.