At a time when lovers the world over were celebrating the spirit of love a fortnight ago, a family at Phalama in Mutale and the village itself were plunged into deep mourning.
This after the killing of a 24-year-old Grade 11 pupil after an argument with her boyfriend. The boyfriend, believed to have come from Folovhodwe and residing with his sister at Phalama at the time of the murder, ran to his sister's house where he hanged himself.
News of the double death spread like wildfire and the place where it happened was soon swarming with curious onlookers from around Mutale. Details of the events were still sketchy at the time of our going to press.
It is suspected that a jilted lover, who could not take no for an answer and who had been involved in constant fights with his lover, had hacked her with an axe before hanging himself. Roseline Mushaavhathu, a Grade 11 pupil at Tshidimbini Secondary and mother of a two-and-half-year-old boy, was killed instantly.
Neighbour Udivhamudzimu Ntsieni (19) said she saw the whole the drama unfolding. "She was outside the room holding a broom as she wanted to sweep. Out of nowhere, the boyfriend appeared and that was when she suddenly ran into her room, with the boyfriend in pursuit. She locked herself inside, but the man chopped down the door with an axe and hauled her out. She was screaming for help. We tried summoning help from neighbours but in vain."
According to Ntsieni, the woman was chopped her four times on the head and she collapsed and died on the scene.
The deceased's grandfather, Mr Robert Maranda, said the killing was a big blow to the family. "She used her grant money for all the family as no one is working. We are still in a state of shock and we do not know how the family will cope," he said
Mutale police spokesperson Simon Nyambeni confirmed the incident, saying they had opened inquest and murder dockets. "We are making an appeal to the community out there to visit state organs and non-governmental organisations if they have domestic problems. People should make use of such institutions for help and not resort to violence as a way out of their problems," he said.