Silobela man ‘axes’ wife, hangs self

08 January 2019

A SILOBELA man fatally struck his sleeping wife with an axe on the head before committing suicide after discovering she was taking contraceptive pills without his knowledge.

Busani Mandava (35) of Langton Farm in Silobela, allegedly struck his wife, Chipo Basopo once in the head while she was asleep and she died on the spot.

He then covered her with a blanket, took their three- year-old child to their neighbour before he proceeded to hang himself from a tree using barbed wire.

Silobela MP Mthokozisi Manoki-Mpofu confirmed the incident that happened on Friday night.

Ward 24 councillor Mr Ephias Shoko said Mandava left a note explaining why he committed suicide after killing his wife.

Cllr Shoko said on the fateful day, the couple spent the day working in their fields as usual.

Cllr Shoko said he was shocked when people came knocking on his door at night informing him that Mandava was hanging from a tree.

“It is believed that the couple had a misunderstanding over family planning issues. According to a note that he left which is in the hands of the police, he got angry when he discovered that his wife was taking family planning pills without his knowledge,” he said.

Cllr Shoko said after fatally striking his wife with an axe, Mandava took their three- year old baby to their neighbour only identified as Hungwe before hanging himself from a tree.

“He was armed with a blood dripping axe and a spear and ordered Hungwe to take the baby to his young brother. When Hungwe followed to see what was happening, he threatened to kill him,” the councillor said.

He said after a search was conducted in the couple’s bedroom, pills and poisonous chemicals were found suggesting he might have taken them as he tried to end his life.

Mandava was buried on Sunday while Basopo was taken to Mpilo Hospital for post-mortem, Cllr Shoko said.