The ManicaPost
Tinashe Mlambo
Weekender Reporter
A TEXT message cost a Zimunya man’s life after he was fatally bashed by the husband of the woman he had sent the message to.
Police confirmed the death of Happymore Zimunya (43) of Chitiyo Village under Chief Zimunya at the hands of Zvanaka Zengera (40) .
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the murder, and said Zengera’s wife, only identified as Natasha (20) had a secret affair with Zimunya, resulting in the death of the latter.
“On March 2, Zengera was with his wife when she received a please call message on her cellphone. Zengera saw the message and asked his wife who had sent the message.
“The wife claimed that she did not know the number. She insisted that she had never seen that number in her cellphone. Zengera was not convinced and ordered his wife to call back the number in question.
“Zimunya did not answer the call. Zengera texted Zimunya pretending to be Natasha and asked him to meet her later that night at her place since there was a funeral in the village and most people will be in attendance. She said her husband will be attending the funeral,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
It is alleged Zimunya swallowed the trap hook, line and sinker and proceeded to Zengera’s homestead later that night.
“He went to Zengera’s homestead and stood on the kitchen door while chatting with Natasha. Zengera who was hiding nearby pounced on Zimunya and struck him with a piece of wood at the back of his head. Zimunya tried to run away, but fell down on a rock surface.
“Zengera pursued him and attacked Zimunya who was lying down. He hit him several times at the back of the head. Zimunya was rescued by a neighbour, Nisson Zireni who heard his distress call. Zimunya later proceeded home and slept on a bench in his kitchen hut since the bedroom keys were with his wife who was attending the funeral,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
He said Zimunya’s wife came back home the following morning and found her husband bleeding.
“Zimunya’s wife asked him what had happened and he lied that he had fallen on a rock on his way from the funeral. Zimunya’s wife rushed back to the funeral wake to get a vehicle to ferry her husband to the hospital. It was at the hospital where Zimunya confessed that he was assaulted after he was caught with a married woman,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Zimunya later succumbed to the injuries he sustained when he was bashed by Zengera.
Zimunya’s wife advised his brother, Edmore Zimunya who reported the matter at Zimunya Police Base.
Police attended the scene and discovered that the late Zimunya had a deep cut at the back of his head.
His body was conveyed to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary for a post mortem, while Zengera was arrested.
“We are deeply concerned about the increase in the number of murder cases, especially those involving crime of passion. We urge people not to allow their anger to get the better of them to avoid such tragic loss of lives. Men should stay faithful to their wives,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
