By A Correspondent | In a dramatic case with unsettling echoes of “Bulawayo’s Beltazar,” a social media character notorious for alleged affairs with married women, a man from Mangwe, Zimbabwe, has faced court after his friend died from severe injuries following a confrontation over an extramarital affair.
Thompson Tshuma appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Ngoni Nduna, charged with murder after allegedly catching his friend in bed with his wife. However, Tshuma was convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to three years in prison, which was fully suspended for five years on the condition of good behavior, meaning he will avoid jail time if he stays out of legal trouble.
Tshuma expressed remorse for his actions, telling the court, “I am remorseful for my actions which were a result of the spur of the moment. I was angry when I caught my friend sleeping with my wife, and what worsened the whole incident is that my friend was well aware of his HIV status.” He claimed he did not intend to kill his friend, a sentiment that Judge Nduna appeared to consider when delivering the verdict.
According to testimony provided during the trial, Tshuma’s wife admitted to having an affair with the deceased. She recounted the events leading up to the confrontation, stating, “On the day in question at around 6 am, my husband left home saying that he was going to Matopo and would not return on the same day. At around 12 pm, I got a call from the deceased. We had a chat and he requested to come for a sleepover since my husband was away. I agreed.”
She continued, “The deceased arrived at my house at around 9 pm and we retired to bed. At around 10 pm, my husband returned home and knocked on the door. He entered the house and found his friend standing behind the door wearing boxers. The deceased was carrying a knobkerrie, and my husband locked the door and put the keys in his pocket.”
In her testimony, she described the ensuing confrontation. Tshuma questioned his friend about his presence in their bedroom, but the deceased allegedly failed to justify his actions, leading to an altercation. “The deceased lifted his knobkerrie to attack Tshuma, but he managed to hold it, and they wrestled,” she said, detailing the physical struggle between the two men.
After overpowering his friend, Tshuma reportedly retrieved a dehorning iron from a corner of the bedroom. He went outside, locked the door, and heated the iron on an outdoor fire before returning to the room. He then used the heated iron to burn his friend multiple times, inflicting injuries to the leg, thigh, humerus, sternum, left arm, and back.
Following the assault, Tshuma unlocked the door, allowing his friend to leave. The injured man drove to his home in Plumtree, where his condition deteriorated. After being hospitalized at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo from July 11 to September 13, he was discharged but remained bedridden. On October 12, his condition worsened, and he was taken to Plumtree District Hospital, where he died before receiving medical attention.
The case has stirred public interest, with social media users likening the story to that of “Bulawayo’s Beltazar,” a rumored character associated with extramarital affairs involving married women. Tshuma’s suspended sentence has sparked debates about justice and whether the punishment serves as an adequate deterrent for similar crimes committed in moments of rage and betrayal.