A man from Birchenough Bridge reportedly killed his wife by striking her multiple times on the head and neck with an axe before taking his own life.
Acting Manicaland Provincial Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident to Masvingo Mirror.
He said the murder-suicide occurred last Tuesday at Gadzai Village around 2 AM.
On that evening, Luckson Muchadei (42) visited his estranged wife, Prisca Mabuyazve (33), around 8 PM, and the couple retired to bed at approximately 10 PM. They had been cohabiting at the homestead of John Dube in Gadzai Village.
Around 2 AM, Muchadei reportedly woke, armed himself with an axe, and struck his sleeping wife, who was lying face down, several times on the head and neck. Mabuyazve died instantly.
After the attack, Muchadei covered her body with a blanket, left the axe at the scene, and walked approximately five kilometres to a bushy area, where he ingested rat poison.
Mabuyazve’s body was discovered around 6 AM by Simbarashe Nemadire, who had gone to collect a debt. Nemadire alerted neighbours, and a police report was filed.
Muchadei was found an hour later by 13-year-old Given Teketesa, who informed the police. He was arrested and taken to Birchenough Bridge Hospital, where he later died.
