Woman hacked to death after machete gang storms family home
By Auther Chimbgwa
A 34-year-old Harare woman died following an attack by three machete wielding men who stormed a family home in Dzivarasekwa suburb midnight Sunday before making off with US$1,400 cash.
Police spokesperson for Harare Province Inspector Luckmore Chakanza named the deceased as Forgive Tichareva who succumbed to serious injuries after she was conveyed to Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Tichareva was sleeping with her husband Shepherd Muchenje when three men stormed the couple’s room midnight Sunday.
The couple runs commuter omnibuses and had kept its money in the wardrobe.
“The victims of the robbery attack were asleep when three unknown suspects gained entry through their bedroom door into the house.
“They then awoke the wife, who was sleeping on the bed, while her husband slept on the floor,” said Inspector Chakanza.
“The husband only woke up when he heard noise of his wife shouting with a loud voice, ‘mbavha, mbavha, mbavha’.
“The noise was coming from outside their room, and Muchenje then rushed outside to investigate,” said Inspector Chakanza.
That is when he was struck with a machete on the left shoulder by one of the suspects.
He grabbed the machete and a fight ensued. During the fight he was struck again on the back and on the left ankle.
“Muchenje managed to grab the machete and wrestled it away.
“In the resultant melee, the machete dropped down and the suspect escaped with it and vanished into the darkness,” said the police spokesperson.
Muchenje then went to where his wife was lying outside and found her in pain and no longer able to talk.
A co-tenant who also heard the fracas, assisted to carry the wife into her car and drove to the police station to file a report.
Muchenje then rushed his wife to hospital where she was admitted. He was also treated and discharged after suffering injuries on the left ankle and shoulder.
“The now deceased had a deep cut on her thigh, back, left upper arm and on the right cheek,” Chakanza said, adding that the deceased is now at Parirenyatwa Hospital mortuary awaiting post mortem.
Police are investigating the crime.
