A 28-year-old Harare man allegedly stabbed his ex-wife more than 10 times, killing her instantly following a dispute over the custody of their two minor children. Sydney Mudiro later drank poison in a bid to end his life, but was rushed to hospital.
According to the State Mudiro, of No. 3 Hopley Zone 5 Waterfalls, last week followed his ex-wife (name not given) of nine years to her new lodgings at house Number 308 Ushewokunze Phase 1 and demanded to have custody of their kids aged six and three.
The now deceased is said to have refused to give Mudiro the children and in a fit of rage he fatally stabbed the woman. Witnesses who saw the scene say there was blood all over the place.
Mudiro appeared in court last Thursday before magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe, charged with murder.
He was not asked to plead to the charge. Mr Chikwekwe remanded him in custody to May 16 and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court due to the gravity of the offence.
Mr Chikwekwe told him that the lower court had no jurisdiction to entertain bail issues in such cases.
The State, led by Mrs Leonellah Chitanda-Matowa, alleges that on April 1 at around midday, Mudiro went to his ex-wife’s house in Hopley.
It is alleged Mudiro tried to take their two minor children from her by force.
An altercation ensued between Mudiro and his ex-wife, the court heard.
It is the State’s case that Mudiro told the mother of his children that he wanted to have custody of the children, but the woman refused to give him the children. She allegedly told Mudiro that according to the law she was entitled to have custody of the kids.
This did not go down well with Mudiro, who then produced an okapi knife and stabbed the woman several times all over her body. The court heard that Mudiro went on to drink poison in an attempt to take his own life.
Neighbours made a report to the police and Mudiro was rushed to hospital. It is further alleged that Mudiro, who was under police custody in hospital, attempted to escape but was apprehended.-Herald