A Shurugwi woman who could not stomach being jilted by her husband for another woman allegedly forced her three children to drink poison before committing suicide, police have confirmed.
Acting Midlands police spokesperson Sergeant Xolani Dube confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday evening when Cencia Ncube of Railway Block in Shurugwi forced her three children Pamela (14), Lionel (11) and Makanaka Ncube (2) to drink water laced with Dimethoate chemical.
Sgt Dube said on the fateful day, Ncube had a misunderstanding with her husband, whose name was not given and stays in Gweru’s Mtapa High density suburb.
“Police in Shurugwi are investigating a case of murder and suicide where a female adult drank Dimethoate chemical and forced her three children to drink too. The incident occurred at the woman’s residence at Railway Block in Shurugwi on Saturday at around 4PM.
“Circumstances are that the woman, Cencia Ncube from Shurugwi, came home from Gweru after having a misunderstanding with her husband. It is alleged that upon arriving home, she drank Dimethoate chemical and forced her three children Pamela, Lionel, and Makanaka Ncube to drink it too,” he said.
Sgt Dube said after about an hour, Lionel went to inform their neighbour, Shelfin Williams, about what his mother had done.
“Williams went to the Ncube’s home and found her groaning in pain together with her daughters and informed another neighbour, Herbert Manduku, who ferried Ncube and the children to Shurugwi Hospital.
Ncube and Pamela were referred to Mpilo Hospital where they died on Sunday. The other two, Lionel and Makanaka are admitted at Shurugwi Hospital where their condition is stable,” he said.
Relatives alleged that Ncube and her husband only identified as Baba Pamela had a misunderstanding over infidelity.
A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that on Saturday, Ncube was informed by her aunt that her husband was having an extramarital affair with a woman who stays in Mambo high-density suburb in Gweru.
“Ncube’s aunt told her that her husband had given his mistress their vehicle and this angered her. She came to Gweru and confronted the ‘small house’ before confronting her husband, who was drinking beer at Mtapa Shopping Centre.
“The husband is reported to have told her off and said he was no longer interested in her,” said the relative.
Ncube, the relative added, went back to Shurugwi where she allegedly forced her three children to drink poison before committing suicide. The Herald
