Zimbabwean man kills his 68-year-old employer, burns her body after she turned down his love proposal

A 25-year-old domestic worker has been arrested for allegedly killing and burning the body of his 68-year-old employer after she turned down his love proposal in Zimbabwe.

Emmanuel Sibanda on Monday, June 26, appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Musaiona Shortgame on a charge of murder.

He was not asked to plead and remanded in custody to July 7 for confirmation of his warned and cautioned statement. Sibanda was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Daniel Tapfuma told the court that on June 21, Sibanda had a misunderstanding with his employer Mrs Jerina Chipato after she turned down his love proposal.

“Sibanda went on to attack the now deceased by striking her once on her head with a dry log and she fell on the ground unconscious. The accused went on to drag the deceased into her kitchen hut and set alight the thatched roof,” he said.

The woman was burnt to death. Sibanda then called out for help claiming that Mrs Chipato had accidentally been burnt to death in her kitchen hut.
He said suspicious neighbours who responded searched the accused’s bedroom hut for some clues on what could have happened.

“The matter came to light when the accused’s bedroom hut was searched, leading to the recovery of Sibanda’s clothes which were stained with blood. The deceased’s cellphone was also found hidden in his clothes,” said Mr Tapfuma.

Sibanda, in his statement, confessed to murdering his boss. He said on the day in question, he had proposed love to Mrs Chipato and she turned him down.

“She then asked me to go and fetch water at night and we had a misunderstanding and I struck her with a log on the head. I then dragged her body to her kitchen hut and lit it to cover up the offence since it wasn’t my intention to kill her,” Sibanda said.