MVUMA – A tragic incident in the Mashayabvudzi area of Mvuma, Midlands province, has resulted in the death of a 24-year-old man, allegedly at the hands of his landlord who accused him of having an affair with his wife. The incident reportedly occurred on the night of January 31st, plunging the community into mourning.
Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, provided details of the grim event. He stated that Aleck Chaminuka (25), the landlord, returned to his home in Mashayabvudzi at approximately 8 PM on January 31st after travelling from Chivhu, where he is employed. His arrival sparked a heated argument with his wife, Caroline Hofisi (23), which ultimately led to the fatal stabbing of Tanaka Musiiwa (24), the tenant.
“Aleck Chaminuka came from Chivhu where he works and found his wife, Caroline Hofisi (23), had not cooked supper. He inquired about this, and she said she had just returned from church. The two started arguing over this issue, which led Caroline Hofisi to seek refuge in the house of Tanaka Musiiwa, where she was received by Portia Dzigahwi (19), Tanaka Musiiwa’s wife,” explained Insp Mahoko.
According to Insp Mahoko, Dzigahwi informed her husband, Musiiwa, about the domestic dispute unfolding between Chaminuka and his wife. The situation escalated rapidly upon Musiiwa’s arrival at his home.
“Tanaka Musiiwa, who was not present when the initial dispute started, arrived home around 8:00 PM. At that point, Chaminuka began accusing him of having an affair with his wife. The two started arguing while both women were inside Musiiwa’s house. During this time, Chaminuka took a knife and stabbed Musiiwa once,” said Insp Mahoko.
Neighbours swiftly responded to the scene and rushed Musiiwa to Mvuma District Hospital. However, tragically, he succumbed to his injuries before receiving medical attention.
The police were immediately notified, leading to Chaminuka’s arrest. “The case was reported to the ZRP Mvuma, and Chaminuka was arrested,” confirmed Insp Mahoko.
Insp Mahoko issued a stern warning to the public, urging restraint and peaceful resolution in times of conflict. “As the police, we continue to warn the public that if there is a disagreement, they should refrain from fighting or killing each other, but rather seek mediators,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident highlighting the devastating consequences of violent crime, a farmer from the Suri Suri area in Chegutu, Peter Jacob (49), has shared his story of regret and loss after serving time for a horrific act of murder. Jacob is currently incarcerated, serving a sentence for burning a woman in a house, a crime he committed over a paltry US$30.
Jacob’s story is a stark reminder of the destructive path that anger and desperation can lead to. He recounted the events that led to his imprisonment during an interview at Harare Central Prison, organised by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service and the Desistance Champions organisation, which provides support to former prisoners.
He explained that the crime occurred in 1998 while he was working on Pondoroza farm in Marondera, Mashonaland East. His employer, a white woman named Janet Jackson, delayed paying his monthly wage of US$30, which triggered a vengeful plan.
“I worked on Pondoroza farm in Marondera in Mashonaland East, earning US$30 per month, and it was Janet Jackson’s farm. This white woman delayed giving me my salary in 1998, and I then thought of hurting her by burning the house she lived in, which was a thatched house,” said Jacob.
Jacob claims that his initial intention was not to kill Jackson, but rather to destroy her property while she was away. He had observed her leaving the farm for Harare earlier that day and believed the house to be empty.
“At night, I went to the white woman’s house and burned her house, not knowing that she had returned. The house was completely destroyed, and the white woman died in it. I was then arrested and convicted in 1999 and sentenced to death,” said Jacob.
However, tragically, Jackson had returned to the thatched house. Unaware of her presence, Jacob set the house ablaze, resulting in her death. He was subsequently arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death in 1999.
Jacob spent years on death row, awaiting execution, until his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. “In all those years, I was waiting to be executed until I was told by the court that I would now spend my life in prison. I was released from prison on May 5th in 2020 under the Presidential amnesty program,” he said.
His release under a Presidential amnesty program in May 2020 offered a chance at a new beginning, but the consequences of his actions continue to haunt him. Upon returning home, Jacob discovered that his wife had left him, taking their child with her. His home was also destroyed, leaving him with nothing.
The experience has instilled in him a deep sense of regret and a firm belief that “crime does not pay.” “I regret what I did to the white woman I burned in the house, and I ask her family to forgive me for what I did. I realized that crime does not pay when I found my wife had left with the child,” said Jacob.
Despite the immense loss and regret, Jacob has attempted to rebuild his life. He was allocated a field to farm and has since remarried, having two more children. However, the pain of his past remains, particularly the loss of his eldest child who left with his mother after Jacob’s imprisonment. “I eventually managed to marry another wife with whom I have two children, my eldest child ran away with his mother when I went to prison and is now grown up,” said Jacob.
Trevor Kunaka, chairman of the Desistance Champions organisation, highlighted the importance of providing support to former prisoners to help them reintegrate into society and avoid reoffending. The organisation offers programs to assist former inmates in starting their own businesses and earning a living.
“We have programs to help people who have left prison to start various businesses as a way for them to earn a living,” said Kunaka.
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