In a tragic development, a pregnant Binga woman is battling for life in hospital after a man believed to be her boyfriend allegedly repeatedly struck her with an axe on the head leaving her for dead following an argument over the pregnancy.

FaceaofMalawi has established from a local publication that  Ability Tshuma age 30 of Junamina area under Chief Saba supposedly struck Ms. Twalumba Siamudenda age 26 multiple times with an axe over the fact that she was pregnant.

The incident happened on Monday when Siamudenda was walking towards Sianzyundu Clinic where she intended to fill in her registration details regarding prenatal and post-pregnancy care. It is then when Tshuma is alleged to have intercepted her along the way.

An argument about the pregnancy ensued between the two resulting in Tshuma striking her with an axe multiple times on the head.

Fortunately, a  16-year-old boy who was fetching firewood in a nearby bush saw Tshuma attacking Siamudenda and rushed to inform the complainant’s mother who reported the matter to the police.

Tshuma is reported to have fled the scene, leaving Siamudenda unconscious.

Siamudenda is currently admitted at Binga District Hospital where her condition is said to be critical while the police have launched a manhunt for Tshuma.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the grisly attempted murder case saying:

“I can confirm that we received a report of attempted murder where a man struck a pregnant woman with an axe and disappeared. Details of the case are that on 14 September at around 10 am, Ms. Twalumba Siamudenda was walking to Sianzyundu Clinic to register her pregnancy when she met the accused. The two had a misunderstanding over the pregnancy resulting in the accused pulling an axe from a bag and striking her.”

Meanwhile, the police in Matabeleland North launched a weeklong operation code-named “No To Murder” (Ukubulala Abantu Hatshi/Kuuraya Vanhu Kwete).

The operation which is targeting people carrying dangerous weapons such as machetes, knobkerries, axes, and iron rods started on Monday 14th of September and will end on the 21st of September 2020.

Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese appealed to members of the public to desist from violence and urged them to engage a third party if there is a dispute.