Plumtree Man Sentenced to Life for Axe Murder of In-Laws
A Plumtree man was sentenced to two life terms by the High Court in Bulawayo after murdering his in-laws in a premeditated axe attack during the early hours of April 2022.
According to court records, Tafirei Ndlovu, acting alongside his accomplice Kudzanai Mathukuthu who remains at large — brutally killed his father-in-law, Xolani Mpofu and mother-in-law, Sibalungele Ncube.
The victims were struck multiple times with axes and dragged into a kitchen hut, which Ndlovu set on fire.
The killings occurred around 2am and were witnessed by Ndlovu’s wife of 13 years, Nomusa Nyoni, daughter of the deceased.
The court heard that the motive stemmed from ongoing marital breakdown.
Nyoni had left their Botswana home and returned to her parents in Zimbabwe after separating from Ndlovu. On the eve of the attack, Ndlovu contacted his mother-in-law under the pretense of seeking reconciliation.
Instead, he launched a deadly ambush and forcibly took Nyoni across the border into Botswana.
As reported by NewZimbabwe.com, Nyoni managed to alert border patrol officers, resulting in Ndlovu’s swift arrest.
Mathukuthu fled and remains on the run.
During sentencing, the High Court described the murders as “gratuitously violent” and “deeply premeditated.”
Police say investigations are ongoing and have appealed to the public for assistance in locating Mathukuthu.
The case has sparked nationwide concern over domestic violence and cross-border criminal activity, prompting calls for stronger protective measures.
