By Leonard Ncube
A man from Inyathi in Matabeleland North who fatally struck his ex-wife several times with an axe on Christmas Eve in 2018 after she had ended their marriage has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder.
Vincent Ndlovu (39) of Plot Number 9, Diglis Park, Famona in Inyathi, was customarily married to Hlengiwe Moyo and the couple was on separation at the time she was killed. Moyo, then 26, had moved out of her matrimonial home to live with her parents in a nearby village.
Ndlovu armed himself with an axe and followed her to her parents’ homestead where he struck her several times in the presence of minor children aged 14, six and two years.
Ndlovu was convicted of murder with actual intent when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva who is on circuit in Hwange.
The judge said Ndlovu killed a defenceless woman because he could not accept that she had left him.
He sentenced him to an effective 30 years in jail.
Prosecuting, Mr Bheki Tshabalala said Ndlovu sneaked into a kitchen hut where his ex-wife was sleeping at night and was positively identified by the deceased’s 14-year-old younger sister. Three other minors were in the same hut.
The deceased’s parents were not at home at the time.
“On the 24th of December 2018, the deceased retired to bed in the kitchen hut with four juveniles. The accused entered the kitchen hut at around 11PM without knocking. Moyo asked her younger sister Nicole to switch on a torch so they could see who had entered the hut and she did.
“Ndlovu also switched on his torch and advanced towards the now deceased. He suddenly struck her several times on the stomach, head and wrist,” said the prosecutor.
The court was told that the woman’s younger sister ran to a neighbour’s homestead to seek help.
Ndlovu had left the scene when neighbours, Mr Shadreck Moyo and his wife Ms Sakhile Ngwenya arrived at the scene.
Moyo was already dead and they phoned her father who in turn reported the matter to the police.
Ndlovu was arrested on Christmas Day and a blood-stained axe was recovered hidden in a bush near his homestead.
Ndlovu was represented pro deo by Ms Joyline Change. The Chronicle
