By Nqobile Tshili
A 28 YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo’s Old Magwegwe suburb allegedly killed his sister (26), folded up the body, covered it with a blanket and buried it in a pit at their backyard.
Silindi Ncube, also known as Nda, is suspected to have killed his sister, Patience Ncube, about two weeks ago.
Ncube is on the run and police are yet to establish the motive behind the callous murder.
Police exhumed the body yesterday morning as shaken residents stood from a distance speaking in hushed tones.
News that Patience had been killed and buried in their yard broke out on Tuesday and shocked residents gathered at the house as police searched for the body.
Patience, a worker at a retail outlet in Entumbane suburb, was killed while on leave and was supposed to be back at work last Tuesday, the day her body was discovered.
Neighbours and a cousin, Miss Angela Tshuma, who lived with the siblings, reported Patience missing on June 15.
Tshuma who had travelled to Esigodini when Silindi allegedly killed Patience, said he lied to her when she asked him about his sister’s whereabouts.
“He said he suspected she had gone with a boyfriend as he last saw her leaving with someone driving a vehicle with South African number plates,” said Miss Tshuma.
She said she did not believe his story as all of Patience’s belongings were in the house.
Miss Tshuma said: “I was convinced that she didn’t leave because her handbags, cosmetics and all her shoes were in the house. It was highly unlikely that she would have left all those things if she was travelling. On June, 15 I went to report to the police that she was missing and they said they were going to investigate,” she said.
Miss Tshuma said Silindi stayed in the house as if nothing had happened, only to disappear on Tuesday last week
A neighbour, Mr Sithabile Mawere, said residents suspected Patience had been buried in the yard after another neighbour informed them that Silindi was seen throwing an object in a pit at about 5AM two weeks ago.
“News started spreading that she was missing and we informed the police. Their neighbour told me that he saw Nda digging a large pit where he dumped an object covered in sheets. We reported this to the police and pleaded with them to dig and find out what was dumped there,” said Mr Mawere.
He said police were reluctant to dig insisting that they wanted to interview Silindi first.
Mr Mawere said after pressure from residents, police finaly agreed to dig up what appeared like shallow graves.
He said they were two pits in the yard and the first one was a dummy as nothing was found in it.
“Initially the police thought there was nothing but we insisted that they should continue digging because one of the residents had seen something being thrown into a pit.
“Three other police officers entered the house and found a blood- stained pillow. We then pleaded with them to continue the search and they finally stumbled on her body wrapped in a blanket,” said Mr Mawere. He said the police exhumed the body the following morning because when they finally found the body, it was already dark.
A Chronicle news crew visited the house as police were exhuming the body yesterday at about 8AM.
Police barred the crew from taking pictures.
Neighbours said while Patience was a reserved person, Silindi was a known drunkard who stole and sold property from their house.
“She always complained that Nda was stealing property in the house. They never lived in peace. Nda was very problematic. Their parents died and they were living with their grandmother who owns the house but had moved to her rural home in Nkayi,” said a neighbour.
Patience’s workmate said they were devastated by the news of her death.
“She was a very disciplined employee. We were wondering where she was because she was supposed to resume work yesterday. It’s really sad to hear that she has been killed,” said one of the employees.
Last month, a 42-year-old mother of four from Bulawayo’s Pumula South suburb was arrested after she allegedly killed her four-year-old niece and buried the body in the yard of a house she was renting. The Chronicle
