The tragic
events unfolded after Joseph Upenyu Mandiyamba allegedly discovered that his
lover, Privilege Garufu (34), had deceived him and introduced another man as
her uncle, while secretly dating the ‘uncle’.
To add insult
to injury, Garufu’s new partner had moved into the house that Mandiyamba had
built for her.
National police
spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi on Tuesday confirmed the gruesome murder
and said Mandiyamba, a nurse based at Nyanga District Hospital, was later found
hanging from a tree in a neighbour’s garden.
His lover,
Garufu’s body was discovered in her main bedroom, the adze still lodged in her
right eye, while Mandiyamba was found hanging with a wire from a Muzhanje tree
in a neighbour’s garden. His clothes were covered in blood,” he said.
Commissioner
Nyathi said Mandiyamba’s body was discovered by neighbours, while Garufu’s son
found her body in the bedroom, covered with a blanket.
The Manica Post
news crew on Tuesday visited the Mandiyamba’s homestead in Mutemararo Village
under Chief Saunyama where he had just been laid to rest, to uncover the events
surrounding the tragic incident.
Mourners were
still gathered, and tensions ran high as relatives grappled with the shocking
reality of Mandiyamba’s actions.
According to
Mandiyamba’s relatives, the catalyst for the tragic events was his realisation
that Garufu no longer loved him.
Despite his
generosity towards her – building a five-roomed house and a kitchen hut – she
had seemingly moved on.
In stark
contrast, Mandiyamba’s wife and three children continued to stay in a
dilapidated two-roomed house.
Mandiyamba had
also opened a small shop for Garufu.
In an
interview, Mandiyamba’s aunt, Mrs Barbara Mandiyamba-Saunyama, said her nephew
had abandoned his family and built Garufu a luxurious five-roomed mansion with
a state-of-the-art kitchen with an aluminium roof, while his wife and children
languished in poverty.
“He neglected
his wife and daughters despite her efforts to support his nursing education. I
attempted to intervene, but he claimed Garufu would bear him a son as his wife
had failed to do so. Ironically, Garufu did not even give him a daughter, and
now they are both dead.
“We should
collect our belongings because he bought her quality furniture. She lived
comfortably, while his family struggled,” she said.
Mrs
Mandiyamba-Saunyama said Garufu was now staying with an unidentified soldier at
the home that Mandiyamba had built for her.
“She had
introduced him as her uncle. Mandiyamba even bought him beer, unaware that he
was Garufu’s lover. He even allowed him to stay at the home,” she said.
However, on the
fateful night, one of Garufu’s friends allegedly informed Mandiyamba about the
two secret lovebirds’ true relationship.
“On the evening
in question, one of Garufu’s friends informed Mandiyamba that the soldier was,
in fact, her lover. This revelation came after Mandiyamba had unwittingly
bought the soldier beer. Mandiyamba and Garufu were later embroiled in a heated
argument at the bar over the issue. Upon returning home with the soldier, who
continued to pose as Garufu’s uncle, Mandiyamba tragically murdered Garufu,
before taking his own life,” said Mrs Mandiyamba-Saunyama.
Before tragedy
struck, Mandiyamba had allegedly taken US$200 from his wife, which she had set
aside for one of their children’s school fees.
“He travelled
to Mutare with Garufu to collect his salary. They had a substantial amount of
money. They spent it all on Saturday, and when we collected his belongings
after his death, only a dollar was left in his wallet. I believe that
realisation pushed him over the edge. He had spent so much on someone who did
not care about him, while his own family struggled,” she said.
His nephew, Mr
Shingirayi Nyakapanga said they had visited Garufu’s home to ‘collect’ his
uncle’s spirit, which was said to have been lingering in the neighbour’s
garden.
“Garufu’s
friends were hostile towards us, but we had police escort. Upon arrival, we
were shown the lavish house he had built for her. It was the most outstanding
at the homestead, having an en-suite and matching green aluminium roofing on
the hut and main house. We were all shocked. My uncle was a quiet, reserved man
who had even given up drinking; so this tragic incident is still baffling to
us. Initially, we suspected foul play, but the post-mortem confirmed that he
took his own life,” he said.
At Garufu’s
funeral in Sabvukutwa Village under Chief Hata, chaos erupted as a group of sex
workers from Nyanga town, who were the deceased’s friends, staged a provocative
show, leaving elderly mourners in shock. Manica Post
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