Hammer Horror: Mabvuku Man Slaughters Ex-Wife Over Child Custody Dispute

HARARE – A child custody dispute turned deadly when a Mabvuku man allegedly bludgeoned his ex-wife to death with a hammer in a brutal attack that has sent shockwaves through Harare.

The 31-year-old suspect, Prince Ndambi, appeared before a Harare magistrate on Saturday, facing murder charges.

During the proceedings, the magistrate advised him to apply for bail at the High Court due to the severity of the charges.

The State alleges that on April 3, 2025, Ndambi confronted his ex-wife, Constance Tsitsi Chirwa, at her workplace in Gletwin, Harare.

Their argument over the custody of their children escalated into violence, with Ndambi allegedly striking Chirwa multiple times on the head with a hammer, killing her instantly.

After the attack, Ndambi reportedly dragged her body to a bridge along Poland Road and dumped it there.

He placed a 15kg stone on her feet before fleeing the scene.

The following day, a passerby discovered Chirwa’s body and alerted ZRP Highlands.

Her remains were taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals mortuary, where a post-mortem conducted on April 7, 2025, confirmed the cause of death as brain edema, a skull fracture and severe head trauma.

As reported by The Herald, detectives from CID Bindura linked Ndambi to the crime on April 16, 2025 and arrested him in the Cottco area.

The case has sparked outrage and renewed discussions on domestic violence and child custody disputes.