A wave of horror and disbelief has swept through Montrose Village, Insiza North, following the brutal murder of 48-year-old Florence Msipha.
The incident, which occurred on the evening of January 8th, has left the community reeling and sparked a manhunt for the perpetrator, identified as 28-year-old Newton Mthethwa of Filabusi.
According to police reports from Matabeleland South, Mthethwa, who had recently been abandoned by his wife Yvonne, arrived at his in-laws’ home in Ward 13 under Chief Maduna. Only his mother-in-law and her 13-year-old daughter were present at the time, asleep in their thatched bedroom hut. The ensuing events unfolded with chilling brutality.
Acting Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni, described the horrific scene: “The late Florence Msipha and her daughter discovered that their bedroom hut was on fire and managed to escape through the door. They saw the accused standing outside the bedroom hut holding a machete. He attacked Florence several times and she suffered deep cut wounds in the head. Her 13-year-old daughter escaped and told neighbours who called police.”
The details paint a horrifying picture. Imagine the terror of waking to find your home engulfed in flames, only to be confronted by a figure wielding a machete. The young girl, witnessing her mother’s brutal attack, undoubtedly carries a trauma that will likely shape her life forever. The swift actions of neighbours in alerting the police, while commendable, could not prevent the tragic outcome.
Florence Msipha was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival. The deep cut wounds to her head, inflicted by the machete, speak volumes of the savagery of the attack. The motive for this heinous act remains shrouded in mystery, leaving investigators to piece together the events leading up to this horrific crime.
Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, attempting to establish a clear motive. Relatives have indicated that Mthethwa’s wife, Yvonne, who resided with him in Fairbridge, Bulawayo, had recently left him.
This separation, coupled with the arson and subsequent murder, suggests a possible connection between the marital breakdown and the violent outburst. However, further investigation is needed to confirm this theory.
