Marondera – A chilling scene of domestic violence unfolded in the quiet Nyameni High Density suburb on Sunday, leaving a community reeling and a husband facing murder charges. Ezekiel MacDonald Chibvongodze, a 29-year-old loan broker, appeared before Marondera Regional Magistrate Mr Panashe Matongo yesterday, charged with the brutal murders of his wife, Mitchel Evelyn Katakwe, and their six-year-old son, Kimley Tawananyasha. The accused, who attempted to take his own life after the horrific incident, was denied bail and remanded in custody until August 6.
The court heard a harrowing account of the events that transpired. Chibvongodze, consumed by suspicion of his wife’s alleged infidelity, purchased an Okapi knife in Marondera town. He then returned home and, after waiting for his wife and son to fall asleep, launched a savage attack, stabbing them repeatedly. The kitchen floor and yard were stained with blood, a stark reminder of the violence that had unfolded. The dining room, where young Tawanda met his tragic end, bore the same grim testament.
On the fateful day, the news crew visited Nyameni where the incident took place and various witnesses, including fellow tenants and neighbours explained what happened.
Egenia Bhainai, a tenant in the same house, provided a chilling eyewitness account of the events. “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.”
Driven by a desperate need to help, Bhainai 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.”
Samson Matibiri, a Nyameni resident who runs a tuckshop near Chibvongodze’s rented room, confirmed to My Zimbabwe News the accused had harboured suspicions of his wife’s infidelity, leading to the horrific act.
The double murder case continues and Chibvongodze will be back in court on 6 August.
