BULAWAYO – A 28-year-old man from Filabusi, Matabeleland South, is on the run after he set fire to a bedroom hut as his mother-in-law slept inside and brutally murdered her with a machete when she escaped the inferno.
Newton Mthethwa fled the scene after killing Florence Msipha, 48, in Montrose Village in Ward 13 of Insiza North under Chief Maduna.
The incident happened at around 8PM on January 8, according to Matabeleland South police.
Police are looking for a motive for the murder. Relatives said Mthethwa’s wife identified only as Yvonne, with whom he stayed in Fairbridge, Bulawayo, had recently left him.
Police say Mthethwa arrived at his wife’s rural home but only his mother-in-law and her 13-year-old daughter were home sleeping in a thatched hut.
Acting Matebeleland South provincial police spokesman Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni said: “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.”
Florence was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police have appealed to anyone with information on Mthethwa’s whereabouts to report at their nearest police station.
