Five-Year-Old Child’s Testimony Lands Gwanda Man 20 Years In Jail For Wife’s Murder

A Gwanda man has been slapped with a 20-year jail sentence for his wife’s murder after his 5-year-old child testifies of his crimes.

A 30-year-old resident of Sibhula Village, under Chief Mathema in Gwanda, has been sentenced to prison by the High Court in Bulawayo after being found guilty of murder.

Incident Details that led to the murder

According to the NPA, on August 20, 2023, around 11:00 PM, the accused returned home to find his wife, Happiness Ngwenya, asleep in the bedroom with their two young children. An argument ensued after Ngwenya questioned his whereabouts.

The altercation escalated, with the accused assaulting his wife using clenched fists and a knobkerrie, targeting her knees and neck. Tragically, he also strangled her, leading to her death.

Following the incident, the accused reported to the police, claiming his wife had complained of chest pains earlier and that he found her dead upon his return. Initially, the case was classified as a sudden death.

Postmortem and Investigation

The postmortem report revealed that Ngwenya’s death was due to strangulation and mechanical asphyxia. A key breakthrough in the investigation came when the couple’s five-year-old child informed the police that she had witnessed her father strangling her mother.

On August 31, 2023, the accused was apprehended in Bulawayo, where he had been hiding at his sister’s residence.

Trial and Sentencing

During the trial on May 30, 2024, the accused claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging that his wife had grabbed his testicles during the argument. However, the testimony of the five-year-old child contradicted this, portraying the accused as the aggressor.

The child’s testimony was deemed credible, leading to the accused’s conviction for murder. Consequently, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.