Man (25) ‘murders’ granny, rapes corpse twice

By Danisa Masuku

A 71-year-old granny from Lower Gweru was killed in cold blood and burnt beyond recognition after being raped by a local man while her grandson watched.

Nkosinathi Sibanda (25) went to the old lady’s homestead last Thursday night around 9pm to ask for sex but as fate would have it, his advances were turned down. Fearing rape, the old woman ran away leaving her seven-year-old grandchild behind.

The child cried for help but no one heard her because almost everyone had gone to a funeral wake. Sibanda kept his focus on the target and followed the old lady and when he caught up with her, he stabbed her with a kitchen knife several times and she died on the spot. He proceeded to have sex with the old woman’s lifeless body.

A post-mortem would later prove that the old woman sustained stab injuries and was raped twice.
To cover his tracks, Sibanda is said to have told his father Kevin Sibanda (72), (PICTURED ABOVE) that the woman committed suicide and to keep himself away from being linked to the gruesome act, he went to hide his blood soaked clothes.

Later he panicked and went into hiding leaving his father with no choice but to report him to the village head. Thereafter, a manhunt was launched and he was found with blood stains on his body. That was the smoking gun to further link him to the crime.

“When we questioned him he admitted that he stabbed her to death and blamed it on alcohol. We then handed him over to the police leading to his arrest,” said Chief Mkoba.

Efforts to get a comment from the Midlands police spokesperson were fruitless but police sources said Sibanda will appear in court next week and is in custody.

Meanwhile, Chipato’s children dumped the woman’s burnt body at the Sibanda homestead. They vowed not to bury her until their compensation demands of 21 cattle were met. The Sibanda’s then negotiated to pay 11 cattle and the burial took place.

“They dumped the body here at my homestead demanding 21 cattle but we had to negotiate with them down to 11. I had five cattle and asked for six from my other children,” he said. B Metro