In a shocking incident that has rocked the community of Rusape, a 26-year-old woman named Kundai Thandazile has been charged with the murder of her husband’s sister, Dorothy Matongo. The tragic events unfolded on May 8th, 2024, when a dispute over an electricity bill spiralled out of control.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the accused and the deceased were at home in the Vengere suburb of Rusape when the argument began. The altercation quickly turned physical, with Kundai Thandazile reportedly retreating to her room, grabbing a kitchen knife, and stabbing Dorothy Matongo once in the upper left side of the chest.
Dorothy Matongo walked a few meters before collapsing. She was bleeding profusely from the chest. The accused person threatened to stab the now deceased’s daughter as she was trying to stem the bleeding with her t-shirt. When the daughter ran to seek help, Kundai Thandazile is said to have delivered a second, fatal blow to the back of Dorothy Matongo’s left shoulder.
The now-deceased victim was rushed to Mutare General Hospital but sadly succumbed to her injuries on the way. Kundai was promptly arrested, and she now faces charges of murder as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.
This horrific act underscores the dire consequences that can unfold when disputes escalate out of control, emphasizing the critical need for effective conflict resolution and anger management strategies within communities.
Kundai has been remanded in custody until her next court appearance on May 24th, 2024. As the Rusape community grapples with this heartbreaking loss, many are left questioning how such a trivial disagreement could have escalated so catastrophically.
