Domestic violence ends in double tragedy

By Nomzamo Gwebu

Buhlebenkosi Tshuma (38) says she is still traumatized by the untimely and violent death of her sister Bongiwe. Bongiwe was brutally killed by her estranged husband in a case of domestic violence that still haunts relatives of the ill-fated couple.

“My sister got married to Mthulisi in 2014 after a couple of years dating. From the onset, the marriage was characterized by squabbles. We all thought things will get well with time. At times family elders were called in to mediate and the situation would settle for a little while,” says Buhlebenkosi.

For close to five years, Buhlebenkosi says her sister persevered in the marriage while attending to her career. She says Bongiwe had managed to pas her high school examinations and got herself a place at Hillside Teachers College in Bulawayo metropolitan province. She says Bongiwe’s husband was a nurse at a government hospital

“My sister and her husband had their own problems but it was never easy for both of them to give up saying they had come a long way together. However, the situation deteriorated when Mthulisi quit his job, claiming that his salary was too low and that he wanted to start a business. He bought a small car and started to operate as a taxi driver,” says Buhlebenkosi.

The transport business did not bring in the anticipated windfall and Buhlebenkosi says this ignited violent engagements. The meagre financial situation was worsened by high cash demands by Bongiwe at college. The couple also had a child who required a child minder and this required more money. Buhlebenkosi adds that the transport business collapsed and Mthulisi became unemployed.

“Mthulisi was frustrated and he became violent.The squabbles degenerated into ciolent altercations and on several occasions Bongiwe would be left nursing injuries. The violence affected everyone in our family because most of the time Bongiwe would come home for refuge,” says Buhlebenkosi.

In 2018, Buhlebenkosi says her sister’s marriage had become untenable and the only way forward was divorce. She says Bongiwe breached her feelings to her husband and the idea was met with violent responds. Buhlebenkosi says Mthulisi threatened to Bongiwe and their child.

“Our family started to take care of Bongiwe, her husband and child. Mthulisi did not like this support and questioned why my parents were undermining him. The violent encounters worsened and one day Mthulisi attacked Bongiwe with a knife. The case was reported at the local police station,” says Buhlebenkosi.

Police encouraged the couple to get counselling instead of getting each other arrested and Buhlebenkosi says her sister agreed to withdraw the case but was adamant that she wanted a divorce.

“Bongiwe decided that enough was enough and she moved back with us. Mthulisi went to Filabusi to look for a job. For some time we thought everything was going to be fine. After some time, Mthulisi called my sister to inform her that he still wanted to support his child. He said that he had raised some money that Bongiwe should come and collect,” says Buhlebenkosi.

Buhlebenkosi says her parents were not worried when Bongiwe told them that she was going to collect money from Mthulisi. She says Mthulisi had sent some money before and he seemed like he had reformed.

“If we knew what laid ahead of her, we could have stopped her from going to Filabusi. I was shocked the following day when I got a call from my sister’s phone. It was Mthulisi. He informed me that my sister was dead. He gave me some directions where the body was,” says Buhlebenkosi.

The distraught family quickly engaged the police and organized transport to ferry the body. Buhlebenkosi says the police launched a manhunt for Mthulisi but it seems he had disappeared into thin air.

“A day before the burial of my sister, we got a call from the police. They told us that they had finally found Mthulisi. His body was discovered in the room that he was renting. Apparently he had come back from where he was hiding and hanged himself. He evaded justice that we were desperately seeking. We were all looking forward to the day he would be brought before the courts. It is painful to know that we will never get justice,” says Buhlebenkosi.

Buhlebenkosi says the turmoil that characterized her sister’s life and her brutal death will forever remain etched in her memory. She wishes her sister had not trusted her ex-husband to the extent of visiting him.