Caught in the Act: Mutare Woman’s Affair Sparks Suicide Attempt, DNA Probe
MUTARE – A suspected affair involving Abigail Button of Muchena Village has erupted into scandal.
She was allegedly caught in the act with Tendai Dzanza inside her matrimonial home, triggering a confrontation, a suicide attempt, and a pending DNA investigation.
The case, reported by her husband Edmund Mhlanga, unfolded before Chief Mutasa’s community court last Saturday and has captivated villagers with explosive claims and conflicting testimonies.
Mhlanga, who works in Mutare but spends weekends in Muchena, told the court he returned home unexpectedly on May 27.
He said he overheard Button speaking on the phone, allegedly inviting Dzanza over under the assumption that Mhlanga had already left town.
“She said she would call the relative I stay with in Mutare to confirm I had gone back. Luckily, I had not communicated with him,” Mhlanga testified.
Suspicious, Mhlanga said he went into hiding and later saw Dzanza approaching the house.
“The moment he entered the house, the lights were switched off,” he said.
Mhlanga claimed he crept to the bedroom window and heard noises, prompting him to enter the house through a broken window.
“I found them under the blankets, covering their heads. I pulled off the blankets and saw the man I have always been seeing around. The two were naked,” he said.
He said he confronted the pair calmly and without violence.
“The man grabbed his trousers and fled, while I went out to summon help from my neighbours,” he added.
Unknown to him, Button allegedly consumed poison shortly after the confrontation.
“Our child later called me, saying her mother had drunk poison and had been rushed to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital. She was admitted for four days,” Mhlanga said.
After her discharge, Mhlanga reported the matter to police, but said Button moved to Mutare and filed for a protection order against him.
“Instead of remorse, she applied for a protection order. The presiding magistrate referred us to this court,” he said.
In court, Mhlanga presented a jacket, T-shirt, and shoe he claimed were left behind by Dzanza during his escape.
“I brought this jacket, T-shirt and shoe that he dropped as he ran away. These are his clothes,” he said, holding up the items before Chief Mutasa.
Dzanza, however, denied the allegations.
“Those clothes do not belong to me. I was not caught in his house,” he said.
He claimed Button had called him to help resolve marital issues.
“On that day, Button phoned me saying they were having misunderstandings as a couple, and wanted me to come and help resolve them. I only got there around 5pm, and nothing of that sort ever happened,” he argued.
Button admitted to calling Dzanza but denied being caught in an intimate situation.
“I called him because my husband always accused me of cheating with him. I told him to come so that the misunderstandings would be cleared.
“It had been three months since I last slept with him,” she said.
She also claimed her suicide attempt was driven by long-standing abuse.
“I took poison because I could not take it anymore. My husband is abusive and constantly calls me promiscuous, yet I am faithful to him.
“I am the one who buys him clothes. I took the poison out of frustration, not because he caught me red-handed,” she told the court.
The case has stirred intense debate in the community, with villagers closely following the proceedings.
Chief Mutasa expressed concern over the conflicting accounts and ordered DNA tests on the clothes presented by Mhlanga.
“Your testimonies do not add up. We are not here to coerce anyone into admitting to a crime they did not commit,” he said.
He warned that the results would determine the next steps.
“If the tests prove Dzanza owns the clothes, there will be severe consequences. We don’t tolerate individuals wasting this court’s time,” Chief Mutasa declared.
The matter remains unresolved, pending the outcome of the DNA analysis.
