Killer hubby stabs wife 34 times, crushes her head...

Killer hubby stabs wife 34 times, crushes her head with a huge stone

Giving new meaning to “killing frenzy”, a Morningside, Bulawayo man butchered his estranged wife by stabbing her 34 times with a kitchen knife then pulverised her head with a huge stone.

**Pascal Dube (L) is on the run after the vicious murder of his estranged wife Aquiline Sadziwa (L)**

Pascal Dube is on the run killed Aquiline Sadziwa at her lodgings at around 9pm on April 22 and the trigger for the murder remains unknown.

The couple’s baby who was strapped to Sadziwa’s back during the ferocious attack escaped unhurt but was covered in the mother’s blood

Speaking at a church service at the scene of the murder on Thursday, Mr Tonderayi Chingonzo, uncle to Ms Sadziwa said when police arrived at the scene of the murder they counted 21 stab wounds, only to discover 13 more the following day when the body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary for a post-mortem.

“I have never seen something like that. Even an animal cannot be killed like that. I was told by my wife to go and investigate what was happening after the couple’s child had informed the landlord that Aquiline was being attacked by Dube. When I got there, I found Aquiline lying face down but never assumed she could have died since it was dark. When I got closer, it became clear to me that she had died and I made a U-turn and headed to my car. I drove to Hillside Police Station and reported the matter,” he said.

He said that it appeared that Dube had only stopped plunging the knife into Sadziwa after the handle separated from the blade.

Mr Chingonzo said Sadziwa had stab wounds behind the ears and several deep cuts all over her arms and body.

“There was a large stone next to her body that he had used to crush her head. I wonder what wrong my niece had done to deserve such a brutal killing,” he sobbed. He said had Ms Sadziwa’s son not escaped to the main house, he could have met the same fate as his mother.

Mr Chingonzo urged men to accept the end of marriages and for women’s families to rescue their daughters from abusive marriages.

“I beg the young men who are here if you feel you cannot live with your partner or wife anymore, rather take her back to her people. Parents, if you hear your daughter complaining of abuse, take her back because one day it will get to this stage. We had to quickly bury her as she was severely injured in the attack. Her eyes had popped out after the head was crushed with the large stone,” he sobbed.

Mr Micheal Sadziwa, father to the deceased said it was sad that the Dube family had not yet spoken to them since the death of his daughter.

“It is cultural that they come and apologise. They haven’t. It is surprising to me that more than two weeks now no one from his (Pascal) family has come to talk to us. What comes to mind is that maybe it was a well-organised thing with his family. Why are they not coming to talk to me and apologise? I want closure. I want to know what crime my daughter committed to deserve such a painful death,” he said.

A neighbour, Mrs Anic Mhiribidi said Sadziwa was a quiet woman who attended church regularly.

“She attended church with us and was very passionate when it came to singing and dancing. We were discussing with other members of the choir that we would invite her to be part of us but unfortunately we never got the chance to do that,” she said.

Mrs Juliana Magaso said Sadziwa was a good neighbour.

“She was a very open and free spirit person whom we interacted with every time we met in neighbourhood,” she said.

The family pleaded to anyone with information that might lead to the arrest of the murderer to assist by reporting to the police.

Each year Zimbabwe sees more than 400 women killed in cases of intimate partner violence.

This article was adapted from the original on https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/estranged-wife-stabbed-34-times-killer-hubby-on-the-run