Godfrey Ndlovu
(38) appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Naison Chivayo, where he
pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide after the 2021 death of
his wife, Chelesani Ndlovu (23).
The
booze-fuelled brawl ended in tragedy when Ndlovu shoved his wife, causing her
to smash her head against a wall. She collapsed and never woke up.
“I didn’t
realise she had died. I thought she was just passed out,” Ndlovu told the court
through his lawyer Takunda Chapisa.
Justice Chivayo
accepted the plea and ruled that while Ndlovu’s actions were reckless and led
to a young woman’s death, there wasn’t enough evidence to prove he intended to
kill.
He was
sentenced to eight years behind bars, but three years were suspended on
condition of good behaviour, leaving him with an effective five-year stretch.
The court heard
that on the night of 15 September 2021, the couple, who lived at Sidojiwe Flats
in Belmont West, were both drinking when things turned nasty. A violent
argument broke out and Ndlovu allegedly bashed Chelesani several times on the
head and face with an unknown object.
Neighbours
found her unconscious in a pool of blood in the corridor outside their flat.
Her face was swollen and blood was oozing from her mouth.
Neighbour
Holder Ncube raised the alarm after discovering the horrific scene.
Ndlovu
allegedly told people at the scene that he had found Chelesani with two other
men and lost control. At first, he thought she was simply drunk and
unconscious, but when he realised she was dead, he bolted.
Police were
tipped off by constabulary officer Taison Majoni and officers from ZRP
Donnington recovered the body. A post-mortem revealed she died from cranial
trauma, a subdural haematoma, and blunt force injuries.
For over two
years, Ndlovu remained a ghost until detectives finally caught up with him in
January this year. Acting on a tip-off, they swooped on him while he was
working at a shop in Mbamba, Tsholotsho. H Metro
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