BULAWAYO police are investigating a grisly murder-suicide that occurred in Gwabalanda on Wednesday night during which Gellot Ncube stabbed his wife Nomqhele Nkiwane to death before hanging himself in a nearby bush in the same suburb.
LINDA CHINOBVA/ BENSON DUBE
Bulawayo acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the murder-suicide yesterday.
“We received a report of a Gwabalanda woman who was murdered by a man who eventually committed suicide. The suspect was found hanging from a tree this morning (yesterday). However, the investigations of the murder and suicide are still underway,” he said.
According to an eyewitness who identified herself as Lizzy, Nkiwane was sitting outside at a friend’s house in Gwabalanda when Ncube appeared at around 7pm and a quarrel ensued.
Lizzy said Ncube suddenly raised his voice at Nkiwane and the next thing they heard her screaming and pleading with him not to kill her.
Lizzy said she did not know what triggered the attack.
“Nomqhele was sitting in the car with her friend outside when Gellot appeared. The two started arguing over a certain issue and the next thing Gellot drew a knife and stabbed Nomqhele in the head and that is when she started screaming and pleading with him not to kill her,” Lizzy said.
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“Nomqhele’s friend ran into the house screaming for help while Nomqhele was shouting ungangibulali, ngicela ungekele (don’t kill me, please spare me),” Lizzy said.
She said Ncube continued stabbing Nkiwane all over her body until she became unconscious.
When Ncube realised that Nkiwane was unconscious, Lizzy said he fled from the scene leaving behind his passport and cellphone.
Lizzy said Nkiwane’s brother, Nkosilathi Nkiwane, arrived at the scene and ferried his sister, who had multiple stab wounds, to Mpilo Central Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Neighbours told Southern Eye that the deceased couple’s relationship began showing signs of strain in 2013 when Ncube’s ex-girlfriend, who has a child with him, started visiting their home.
“After that, the two started fighting endlessly until they reached a point where Nkiwane left their rented home and moved back to her parents’ house. However, after some time, they resolved their issues and she moved back in with him again,” the neighbour who did not want to be named, said.
Nkosilathi said his sister and Ncube got married in 2012 and the couple had a two-year-old child.
He said the couple had disputes like any other couple, but would eventually resolve them.
“It was so devastating to find my sister soaked in blood last (Wednesday) night. Right now we are in deep grief because my sister was killed. She sustained multiple wounds on the collar bone, throat, face and near the mouth and other parts of her body,” a distraught Nkosilathi said.
“For the past weeks, Nomqhele and Gellot had been having problems over a particular issue. As a result, she moved out of their home and had been staying with our parents up to the time of her death,” he said.
Nkosilathi said funeral arrangements were underway and his sister would be buried in Bulawayo on Sunday.
