A Zimbabwean man in Rusape town spent three years hiding in a cave after he struck his wife to death with a hoe and burnt her body for denying him sex.

The long arm of the law finally caught up with Lameck Manyanga (28) of Inyati Mine in Madindi Village after he was slapped with a 25-year term when he appeared before Mutare High Court judge Justice Hlekani Mwayera.

Manyanga was facing charges of killing his wife Tendai Mufaranyuri.

He told the court that he had no intention of killing her, but the incident happened during a heated argument.

Mr Jonathan Chingwinyiso, representing the State, had it that on December 9, 2014 at Inyati Mine, Manyanga had a domestic dispute with his wife. The two exchanged harsh words which ended with Tendai calling her husband a stupid man who survived on “piece jobs”.

She also said his mother was a witch.

Manyanga left for work and upon his return, his wife is said to have denied him conjugal rights.

In anger, he armed himself with a hoe which he used to attack his wife.

After killing his wife, Manyanga wrote a suicide note before torching the hut where his wife’s lifeless body was lying. He then went to hide in a cave where he stayed for three years until another villager, Tafadzwa Mhlanga, spotted him sometime in October 2017.

Manyanga is said to have emerged from the cave wielding an iron bar, threatening to attack anyone who would dare approach him.

He was later arrested and taken to court.