SHOCK gripped folks of Makuwaza Village on the outskirts of Rusape when a septuagenarian smashed his equally advanced wife in the head using a hoe handle, killing her instantly, for allegedly denying him sex.
The accused, Seda Masunungure Wachi (77), a subject of Chief Tandi, reportedly pounced on his wife, Clara Aquiline Wachi (71) and smashed her head until she collapsed following a dispute over conjugal rights.
Wachi, who has since been arrested by police on murder charges, reportedly continued assaulting his wife in the legs using a stick while she was in a coma.
When Wachi realised that he had actually killed his wife, he dragged her body outside the couple’s kitchen hut.
Manicaland deputy police spokesman Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the murder and said Wachi was assisting police with investigations.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the victim’s body had been buried at the time of going to print.
Asst Insp Chananda said despite his advanced age, Wachi was sexually hyperactive and has a criminal history of assaulting his sexually stymied wife for denying him his conjugal rights.
“On the evening of July 23, 2014, the couple retired to bed in a kitchen hut. Wachi approached his wife demanding sex. His wife,Aquiline refused, saying she was too old. He became angry and attacked her with a hoe handle in the head. The victim became unconscious, but instead of resuscitating her, the accused went on to assault her in the legs with a stick. He dragged the body outside the hut,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
Though it was not immediately clear what he intended to do with the body, Wachi was intercepted by Headman Joseph Makuwaza (60) midway his struggle.
The traditionalist discovered that the body of Aquiline had fresh wounds on the head and legs.
He then mobilised his subjects who spent the whole evening guarding the corpse together with the suspect.
Wachi was handed over to the police the following morning.
The body was taken to Rusape General Hospital mortuary for a postmortem.
The suspected murder weapons were recovered from the hut.
Asst Insp Chananda further revealed that barely a week before the tragic incident Wachi had assaulted his wife using the same hoe handle following a dispute over sex.
“The victim had earlier this month been assaulted in the same way after objecting to his sexual demands. Though she sustained some injuries, the victim was not taken to hospital. The abuse came to light following a visit by the couple’s daughter, Keresencia (40), who stays in Masvingo. Keresencia discovered the wounds as she bathed her mother and asked what had happened. Before returning to her Masvingo base, she informed her parent’s neighbour Winnet Marufu, about the incident before begging her to keep an eye on the aged couple,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
Wachi was last Friday arraigned before Rusape magistrate, Mr Shingi Mutiro, and was remanded in custody to August 8.
He was advised to appeal for bail at the High Court.
