Residents of the Bulawayo suburb of Imakhandini are in shock following the alleged brutal murder of Hilary Nuthapo Ncube (26) on Monday night by her boyfriend, Obvious Philani Sibanda, five days before the lobola negotiations.
Sibanda reportedly assaulted Ncube with a metal rod after a relationship dispute and accusations of infidelity between the couple.
Ncube was reportedly five months pregnant, and the two worked at a popular local fast food restaurant in the city.
Before committing the crime, Sibanda allegedly turned the volume on his radio and television to full blast, in what Ncube’s grandfather, Mr John Ndlovu, believed was a calculated move to stifle her niece’s cries for help from neighbours.
A distraught Mr Ndlovu told the Chronicle that he received a call just before 9pm from his niece’s mother in Cowdray Park, informing him of the sad incident.
“Her mother said that the Leuve police called her and asked her to report to the station because her daughter was injured but she could not tell her what.
“She asked me to come pick her up so we could go together but after a few moments, “She said her gut was telling her that something terrible might have happened to her daughter and the police didn’t want to tell her over the phone, so I should go alone instead,” Ndlovu said during an interview at his home in Entombane.
He said that when he arrived at the police station, he found Sibanda on the other side of the counter in the shipping office.
“The boy couldn’t look me straight in the eye, so I knew then something terrible had happened. The police then informed me and I was given some details to accompany us to the crime scene in Emakhandini where my niece’s body was and the place was full of blood. She had a wound,” Mr Ndlovu said. Big in the back of her head.”
He said the family was still confused about why his niece died in such a violent manner, especially when the two seemed happy together and were busy with preparations for the lobola negotiations, which were scheduled to take place at his home on Saturday.
“Just yesterday (Monday) I visited them at their workplace in the city and they even bought me some chips and a drink while we discussed the preparations for the party,” Ndlovu said.
“They said they would be leaving on Wednesday (today) and so they would be returning home for final preparations. What then led to this shocking incident, only God knows. Her father, who is in South Africa, was also coming to attend the ceremony, but has now just left South Africa to attend a funeral.” His daughter.
When the Chronicle News Crew visited the Imakhandini home where the gruesome murder took place, there were two relatives of the murder accused who said they could not speak to the media.
A relative said: “We were not here when this happened. We came this morning after we received news of this sad development.”
According to police, the two got off work at around 5pm and decided to stop by Sibanda’s residence.
Bulawayo Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Abedneko Ncube, said: “On her arrival at about 1800 hours, the accused asked the now deceased about the contact number of a frequent caller on her cell phone called Gift.”
“The deceased told the accused that Gift was her boyfriend and was responsible for the pregnancy, the accused alleges. It is also alleged that it did not go well with him and he took a metal bar that was behind the door and hit the now deceased once on the head so she fell and lost consciousness,” said Insp Ncube. .
He said that the accused continued to hit his girlfriend several times using the same penis until she died instantly, and when he realized that she no longer showed any signs of life, the accused called his parents and informed them of what had happened.
Insp Ncube said that at about 8.30pm, the accused went to the police and surrendered himself. The body of the deceased has now been transported to Bulawayo United Hospitals where he was pronounced dead and placed in the mortuary for autopsy.
Insp Ncube urged members of the public to resolve their problems amicably instead of using violence as it leads to unnecessary loss of lives.
He added: “Such a young woman’s life was lost, an incident that could have been avoided if both parties had sought help in resolving their case.”
“As a way to reduce gender-based violence, we encourage members of the public to use dialogue instead of violence and seek advice from third parties such as Imthongini Women’s Forum, MUSSA, liaison and church members or trusted elders as well as the police.” Insp Ncube said. Mourners gather at No. 151, Cowdray Park. Chronicle