Man killed ex-girlfriend’s lover after catching pair naked in bed  

Spencer Sithole jailed 17 years for murdering Gugu Mkhwananzi

By Staff Reporter

An enraged Harare man mercilessly punched and crushed his ex-girlfriend’s lover’s head with a stool in a fit of rage when he caught the two intimate in bed.

For the crime, Spencer Sithole was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of killing Gugu Mkhwananzi who was having an affair with his ex-girlfriend Josephine Morrow.

Sithole later appealed his sentence and conviction at the Supreme Court but was not so lucky either after the top court upheld the verdict of the High Court.

The incident happened in 2017.

Prosecutors had told a judge during his murder trial that on 11 April 2017, Sithole went to Morrow’s house.

Upon arrival, despite seeing the gardener working, he jumped over the gate and entered the premises.

He entered Morrow’s unlocked bedroom and found her and the now late Mkhwananzi in bed, naked. 

The court heard he proceeded to assault Mkhwananzi with clenched fists on the face several times causing him to bleed from the nose and mouth. 

Mkhwananzi did not get an opportunity to fight back, court was told.

Sithole then picked up a stool and struck Mkhwananzi with it repeatedly and indiscriminately while he lay on the floor, killing him instantly. 

Morrow testified that Sithole was her ex-boyfriend.

She described her relationship with Sithole as an “on and off” one, adding that his ex-boyfriend committed the murder when the relationship was off.

Sithole had insisted that he was still in love with Morrow at the time of the crime.

He told the trial judge that his ex and her lover had mocked him saying he could not claim rights over Morrow because he was not married to her.

Sithole had said he committed the crime in self-defence during an ensuing fight.

Ultimately, the High Court found Sithole guilty of murder with constructive intent and sentenced him to 17 years’ imprisonment.  

Dissatisfied, Sithole launched an appeal which did not find favour with the court.