Tendai Gukutikwa and Tinashe Mlambo
A BURMA Valley woman was left holding her protruding intestines in the hands after being brutally stabbed with a knife in the stomach by her husband last Saturday.
The victim, Ms Bianca Bandure (24), had to run for dear life to Mazonwe Clinic with the intestines in her hands as family members fought to restrain her visibly angry husband, Tinashe Madzingira (29), from further harming her.
The Manica Post caught up with Ms Bandura on Wednesday in Mazonwe, Burma Valley, where she chronicled her spine-chilling attack and dramatic escape.
Ms Bandura had just been discharged from Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, where her intestines were tucked back and the stomach tear was sutured by doctors.
She was writhing in pain and agony as she narrated her sad story.
She went through hell as the man wanted to kill her.
“He wanted me dead, and I am lucky to be alive. I was stabbed in the stomach, leaving my intestines protruding. I had to hold them in my hands. He had aimed for my neck with that knife, but my aunt blocked him. He sliced my hand first, before stabbing me on the stomach.
“I know he wanted me dead because he bought a new okapi knife in Odzi, and even told me that he would kill me and our son before his arrest. It was all premeditated. I fear that if he is granted bail, or given the option to pay a fine or do community service, he will come back to finish us off. His mission is to see us dead,” she said.
The violent attack, which is being treated as attempted murder, stemmed from allegations that Ms Bandura, who had visited her parents’ home, was cheating on Madzingira.
“I came home to visit my family. However, when he called and asked me to return home to Nyamajura in Odzi, I refused.
“I asked him to pay for my bride price first. We have been together since 2019, but he has not paid anything to my parents. On Tuesday, he called me, and told me that he now had the money, and would be coming to pay US$300 on September 6. We met in Mutare, where he bought me nice jewellery, including a ring and necklace. He also bought clothes for our child and we parted amicably,” she said.
However, last Friday night, Madzingira received a tip-off that Ms Bandura was allegedly cheating on him, and proceeded to her parents’ homestead in Mazonwe Village and found all the doors locked.
Madzingira called Bandura and inquired about her whereabouts.
She claimed she was home, and asked to speak to his child, but gave the phone to her friend’s child, pretending that it was their child.
Tinashe Madzingira (seated) was arrested by Mazonwe villagers after brutally stabbing his wife
“He realised that I had fooled him, and told him that I would pay dearly for it. I did not know that he was already at our homestead, but I ended up sleeping at my friend’s place. The following morning, my sister, Annia Mauta (21), went home to get her charger, and as soon as she unlocked the door, Madzingira blocked her, pointing a knife at her. He slapped her twice, and hit her on the head after she refused to tell him where I was,” she said.
Ms Mauta said she blacked out after being hit on her head, and started bleeding.
She said when she regained her senses, Madzingira ordered her to take him where Ms Bandura was.
“I rushed to our aunt, Ms Fiona Mukombiwa’s homestead, and Madzingira was in hot pursuit. Before he got in, I told her to warn Bandura not to come out as Madzingira wanted to attack her,” she said.
Ms Mukombiwa said she tried to reason with Madzingira who had packed Bandura and his child’s belongings, demanding to take them with him to Nyamajura.
“Bandura came out from where she was hiding at a nearby house. I tried to reason with him so that we could solve the issue amicably. We had agreed, and were walking to a place where we could discuss the matter when he drew out the knife. I screamed as he tried to stab her. I blocked the knife, and it sliced Bandura’s hand. She fell on the ground, and he aimed at her stomach. He further attacked her with bricks, and that is when neighbours arrived and apprehended him,” she said.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said investigations were in progress, and appealed to members of the public to always resolve disputes amicably.
He said police were treating the case as attempted murder.
“On August 30, at around 8pm, Madzingira made his way to Mazonwe Farm with the intention to visit Bandura. However, upon arrival, he was unable to locate her. Frustrated and seemingly fuelled by suspicion, Madzingira gathered through the grapevine that Bandura had gone to see her boyfriend.
“Instead of leaving or seeking clarification, Madzingira chose to wait for her return, lingering in the shadows until the next morning when Bandura arrived home with her sister, Annia Mauta. Madzingira confronted her, and stabbed her in the stomach with an okapi knife, leading to the gruesome injury in which intestines were left protruding from the stomach.,” he said.
Madzingira was set to appear in court yesterday.
