A tragic case of infidelity and retribution has concluded in the Bulawayo High Court, leaving a nation reeling and highlighting the devastating consequences of rage. Thompson Tshuma, a man from Mangwe in Matabeleland South province, recently stood trial for the death of his friend, a Plumtree resident, who was found in bed with Tshuma’s wife.
While initially charged with murder, Tshuma was ultimately convicted of culpable homicide and received a three-year suspended sentence.
The events leading to the death unfolded in a dramatic sequence. Tshuma’s wife provided a detailed account of the night her husband returned unexpectedly to find the deceased, her lover, in their bedroom, busy enjoying lula lula.
“On the day in question at around 6 am, my husband left home saying that he was going to Matopo and would not return on the same day. At around 12 pm, I got a call from the deceased. We had a chat and he requested to come for a sleepover since my husband was away. I agreed.
“The deceased arrived at my house at around 9 pm and we retired to bed. At around 10 pm, my husband returned home and knocked on the door. He entered the house and found his friend standing behind the door wearing boxers. The deceased was carrying a knobkerrie and my husband locked the door and put the keys in his pocket,” she testified.
The ensuing confrontation was swift and violent. A scuffle ensued, with the deceased wielding a knobkerrie.
The wife recounted, “The deceased lifted his knobkerrie to attack Tshuma but he managed to hold it and they wrestled.”
Tshuma, having overpowered his adversary, then took a drastic and brutal action. He retrieved a dehorning iron from a corner of their bedroom, heated it in the fireplace, and returned to the bedroom, locking the door behind him.
The brutal assault followed. Tshuma inflicted multiple burns on the deceased with the red-hot dehorning iron. The wife described the attack: “He then burnt his wife’s lover with the dehorning iron once on the right leg, once on the right thigh, once on the humerus, once on top of the sternum, once on the left arm and once on his back.”
After the attack, the severely injured man managed to drive himself back to his home in Plumtree.
The victim’s injuries proved to be far more serious than initially realised. He was hospitalised at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo from 11 July 2017 to 13 September 2017, but his health continued to deteriorate. He remained bedridden at home until 12 October 2017, when his condition worsened dramatically. He was rushed to Plumtree District Hospital, where he died before receiving medical attention. The police were informed, an investigation was launched, and Tshuma was subsequently arrested.
In court, Tshuma pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming he had not intended to kill his friend.
In his defence, he stated, “I am remorseful for my actions which were a result of the spur of the moment. I was angry when I caught my friend sleeping with my wife and what worsened the whole incident is that my friend was well aware of his HIV status.”
The court heard that the deceased had known about his HIV status, adding another layer of complexity to the already tragic situation.
