Police Officer Gets 15 Years For Killing Wife In Jealous Rage
A police officer from Buhera, Cuthbert Mupfuki, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the High Court after brutally murdering his wife, Brenda Manyara, with an Okapi knife. The attack occurred amid rumours that she was seeing another man, reported The Manica Post.
Mupfuki, 37, from Nechiwowe Village in Chief Nyashanu, was found guilty of murder under Section 47(1) (a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. At the time of the crime, he was a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Support Unit, Sierra Troop, in Changadzi.
During sentencing, Mutare High Court Judge Justice Isaac Muzenda said he considered that Mupfuki had paid 30 head of cattle as reparation to the deceased’s family.
The court heard that on October 10 2023, Mupfuki stabbed Manyara multiple times, resulting in her death at the scene. A post-mortem conducted by Dr Elisha Murasiranwa at Birchenough Bridge Hospital determined that respiratory failure due to trauma was the cause of death.
Witness Constance Gwemba, a niece of the victim, testified that she was at Mupfuki’s home with Manyara and other family members when Mupfuki invited Manyara to their bedroom.
Shortly after, Gwemba heard screams for help but found the door locked. Peering through a window, she saw Mupfuki pressing Manyara against the wall while accusing her of wanting to degrade him by dating a local villager, Joseph Murwisi.
Mupfuki later dragged Manyara’s body to the passage and opened the door, walking away while declaring it was better for him to be in prison than with a “cheating” wife. Gwemba discovered Manyara lying on the floor, bleeding profusely from her chest and with a deep cut on her left hand.
At around 9 PM that evening, Mupfuki called villager Chipo Madidi, instructing her to gather everyone at the homestead. When he returned, he stated that he knew why he had killed Manyara.
Another witness, Mupfuki’s daughter Barbra, recounted hearing her mother being beaten and later witnessing her father emerge, claiming he would turn himself in to the police.
Madidi testified that when she arrived at the scene, she found Manyara’s lifeless body in the sitting room. Mupfuki admitted over the phone that he had killed Manyara due to her supposed affair with Joseph Murwisi.
Murwisi himself testified that on the evening of the incident, he was attacked by Mupfuki while cycling home.
Mupfuki struck him with a log, causing him to fall. Despite his injuries, Murwisi managed to escape, leaving his bicycle and groceries behind.
After the attack, Murwisi heard people crying at Mupfuki’s home; he sustained bruises and a swollen arm from the assault.
More: Pindula News
