Marondera – A chilling scene of violence unfolded in the quiet suburb of Nyameni last night, leaving a community reeling in shock and disbelief. Ezekiel Chibvongodze, a Loan Broker by profession and a resident of Nyameni High Density suburb, stands accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Evelyn Mitchel Katakwe, 26, and their six-year-old son, Tawanda.
The air hung heavy with grief and anger as we arrived at the scene, where relatives of the deceased gathered, their faces etched with pain and disbelief. Bloodstains, bold reminders of the horrific events, marred the kitchen floor and spilled out onto the yard. The dining room, where young and handsome Tawanda met his tragic end, bore the same grim testament to the violence.
Egenia Bhainai, a tenant in the same house, recounted the harrowing events that unfolded before her very eyes. “I was in my room when I heard the woman crying out for help,” she said, her voice trembling with the memory. “‘Aichema achiti ndiri kubaiwa nebanga, ndava kufa ndibatsireiwo’. (She was crying out for help saying she was being stabbed with a knife and she was dying).”
Bhainai’s words painted a picture of desperation and terror. “I rushed to their bedroom door and tried to open it, but it was locked from inside,” she continued. “I started banging on the door and shouting, but no one opened it. The woman continued crying helplessly.”
The chilling sound of Evelyn’s cries echoed through the house, a desperate plea for help that went unanswered. Bhainai, fearing for her own safety, retreated to her room, locking herself inside. “I was afraid that the man would also attack me,” she said, her voice filled with a lingering sense of fear.
Moments later, the sound of the bedroom door unlocking sent a shiver down her spine. “I took a peek and saw the woman staggering out, crying and bleeding,” she recalled. “She came through my kitchen door and fell outside. Her husband then rushed out through another door.”
Bhainai, driven by a desperate need to help, rushed to her neighbours for assistance. When she returned, Evelyn was gone. “I went inside the house, thinking she had gone back inside,” she said. “When I entered their dining room, I saw their son lying on the floor with a knife stuck in his back.”
The sight of the young boy, lifeless on the floor, was enough to send a wave of horror through the neighbourhood. Bhainai’s screams alerted the neighbours, and they rushed to the scene, their hearts sinking as they witnessed the unfolding tragedy.
“I went outside to search for Mitchell,” Bhainai said, her voice choked with emotion. “That is when I found her lying about 30 metres from the house, breathing faintly. I asked her what was happening, but she only stared at me as she was struggling to breathe. We tried to get a vehicle to take her to the hospital, but failed, and she died.”
Another Nyameni resident, Samson Matibiri, who runs a tuckshop in Nyameni near Chibvongodze’s rented room, said the accused murderer had suspected that his wife was cheating on him and that is why he knifed her to death.
The scene was one of utter devastation. The once-peaceful home was now a crime scene, a place where a family’s dreams were shattered and two lives were brutally cut short. As we left the scene, police details arrived with Chibvongodze, who had allegedly attempted to take his own life by consuming poison before turning himself in. The crowd, overcome with grief and anger, hurled insults and accusations at the accused man.
This horrific incident has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving behind a trail of sorrow and unanswered questions. The question on everyone’s lips is why? What could have driven a man to commit such a heinous act against his own family?
