Valentine Makufa
A traditional beer drinking binge ended fatal when a 50-year-old Gutu woman allegedly killed her 51 year-old husband for chasing away the former’s beer customers at their homestead in Mawire village under Chief Gutu.
The incident occurred on July 28 before Simbarashe Kufakunesu succumbed to the injuries sustained during the alleged assault by wife Mirika Joni on July 30 at Gutu Mission Hospital.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to amicably resolve matters.
“People should not resolve issues under the influence of alcohol,” he said.
It is alleged that on July, 28, the couple was selling traditional beer at their homestead when Kufakunesu got drunk and started dancing with his drunken customers.
All of a sudden the deceased became violent, started pouring beer on customers and chasing them away.
Kufakunesu’s actions did not go well with Joni who tried to stop him resulting in a misunderstanding which resulted in Kufakunesu picking up an axe with the intention of hitting his wife but she took the axe and the two wrestled for the axe as the husband tried to re-possess it.
Joni picked a farm brick and threw it at her husband hitting him on the right ribs.
She went on to hit him several times on the forehead with the brick and Kufakunesu sustained a swollen forehead.
Some villagers intervened and stopped the fight.
Kufakunesu started vomiting and complaining about his right ribs on July 29 and was taken to Gutu Mission Hospital for treatment.
His condition deteriorated on July 30 around 0030 hours and he died.
A police report was made the same day.
The body was taken to Gutu Mission Hospital mortuary awaiting post mortem.