Gory Nyanga Murder: Details Emerge

A Nyanga man went berserk and turned into a modern-day Jeffrey Dahmer overnight after he allegedly murdered his three kids and wife before sexually abusing the dead bodies recently.

Edward Chirombe (43) later committed suicide after the gory act.

Chirombe’s brothers — who were among the first people to see the corpses — claim that two of the bodies were raped after death, judging by the demeaning and compromising positions they were found in.

The corpse of the wife, Joice Mashenu (40) and that of Edward’s 14-year-old daughter, Tendai Chirombe had been stripped of their underwear when they were found.

All the victims’ heads were hacked by an unidentified sharp object several times.

Edward, who did not leave behind a suicide note, allegedly stayed with the dead bodies of his family members for another day after the alleged murders.

The rest of the family was last seen on Tuesday, January 3, but Edward was spotted doing household chores at his home the following day.

The family is survived by their 16-year-old first born daughter who was staying with her aunt in a different village.

When The Manica Post visited the now uninhabited homestead in Ngavaseke Mugomba Village, under Chief Hata in Nyanga last week on Saturday, only Edward’s three siblings were present as they were still planning on the funerals.

Apart from the three, the only sign of life at the homestead was that of a dog and several chickens that evidently had been starved for days as the owners had long since died.

Inside the kitchen hut in which the children were murdered were pots with baked bread and soup, signalling that they wanted to have breakfast together as a family the following day.

However, as fate would have it, Edward murdered his three children aged 14, 12 and nine and his wife, and became a necrophiliac overnight — something that his family is yet to come to terms with.

Blood was splattered on the ground, on the bed and on the kitchen walls. In the bedroom, in which Mashenu was killed, blood was also visible on the walls and on the bed.

Hidden inside the room was a bloodied hammer, which the relatives suspected to have been used to deliver the fatal blows on the family members.

Edward’s brother, Mr Nicholas Chirombe said they last saw the family on Tuesday afternoon and Edward on Wednesday evening.

“I visited him on Wednesday and he denied me entry into his homestead. He came to meet me in the fields and he was as bubbly as ever. What saddens me the most is that he killed the children and his wife and left us with more unanswered questions than answers.

“It was so clear that he also raped his wife and daughter. It was just evil. They were laying there with their heads smashed and naked from the waist going down. It is just so shameful. Why would anyone do such a thing? The way he hacked their heads will always remain engraved in our minds. It is just too much for us to bear,” said Mr Chirombe.

He said his brother was a soft-spoken person who refused his family access to the outside world.

Edward’s other brother, Mr Kelvin Chirombe said his brother and wife never had any relationship problems as they were the village lovebirds adored by many.

“My brother had problems with communicating whatever would be affecting him and he would keep it bottled up. He should have shared whatever problems he was having and not take the lives of his family members like this,” he said.

Mr Decent Chariwacho, who first discovered the corpses after peeping through the window of the house in which the three children’s bodies were locked, said he is yet to get over the trauma of his discovery.

“Tendai and her mother were both naked and their legs were raised up. It was an unpleasant sight. They were both naked, with their skirts raised to their waist. It was so painful.

“I was coming from the dip tank with the cattle when I decided to check on them. I had been herding their cattle for three days without any word from them. When I came here, there was foul smell and I looked around thinking that it was a dead animal but found nothing.

“I decided to peep through the window and that is when I saw one of the dead children. I hurriedly ran to a nearby homestead where police were attending a crime scene and reported what I had seen,” he said.

Edward’s sister-in-law, Mrs Precious Tangai Chirombe said her brother-in-law was an introverted person who hated company.

She said he had influenced his family to detest visitors.

“I think there is more to this gory murder. Edward and his wife were lovebirds who were always together. Edward barred his family from interacting with others and his children had also become loners as a result.

“Sometimes, he would lock himself and his family inside the house after spotting visitors coming. He was inseparable with his wife even at funerals and parties. They did not interact with others. He was not violent or a bad person, which makes this whole situation difficult for us to understand.”

Prophetic word that the family would be victims of a tragedy had been communicated to the Chirombes when they attended a church service the previous Sunday, according to their niece, Ms Edna Madzivabende.

“They were foretold about the incident at a church where they were devout members. The prophet told them that he was seeing a funeral at their home and that they should pray. I guess they ignored it. I feel for the daughter who was left behind. I do not think she will be able to get over the trauma of losing the rest of her family like that,” she said.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident, saying police are investigating the matter to ascertain the motive behind the killings.

“We are investigating a matter in which Edward Chirombe is alleged to have killed his wife and three children before committing suicide at Ngaaseke Mugomba Village in Nyanga.

“The corpses were found by the police after a relative had made a report. They were found in a hut and a flat roomed house. We are now investigating the circumstances which led to this gruesome murder and the motive behind this unfortunate incident,” he said. *ManicaPost*