POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested a 26-year-old man from Emakhandeni high-density suburb in Bulawayo for allegedly killing his girlfriend.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said police arrested Obvious Velani Sibanda who allegedly killed his lover identified as Nothabo Ncube (26) of Cowdray Park.
He said Nothabo was five months pregnant and the two were employed at the same company.
Ncube said on February 5 at around 6pm, Sibanda and Nothabo knocked off from work and went to Ncube’s residence.
Sibanda allegedly asked his girlfriend about the contact who was a frequent caller to her cellphone called Gift.
“Nothabo told Sibanda that Gift was her boyfriend and he was responsible for her pregnancy. Sibanda said this did not go well with him and he took a metal bar which was behind the door, struck the girlfriend once on her head and she became unconscious. Sibanda continued striking her several times using that same rod and she died on the spot,” the police spokesperson said.
Ncube said at around 9pm when Sibanda’s girlfriend was no longer showing any signs of life, he called his parents and advised them about what had transpired.
Sibanda handed himself to the police and Nothabo was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where she was pronounced dead.
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Nothabo’s body is still at the hospital awaiting post -mortem.
The police spokesperson called on members of the public to solve their problems amicably instead of resorting to violence which results in unnecessary loss of lives.
“As police we urge members of the public to solve their problems amicably rather than to use violence, such a young life has been lost, an incident which could have been avoided if both parties had sought assistance in solving their issue,” Ncube said.
He also encouraged members of the public to use dialogue rand seek advice from elders as a way of curbing gender-based violence.
“As a way of curbing gender-based violence we encourage members of the public to use dialogue rather than violence and seek advice from third parties such as Emthonjeni Women Forum, Musasa, Contact and church members or trusted elderly persons as well as the police,” he said.
Zimbabwe recorded a staggering 16 444 cases of gender-based violence and 31 deaths since January last year with men cited as the main perpetrators.
