Zimbabwe – In a bizarre occurrence, a mentally challenged Zvishavane man  struck and killed his wife with a log before burning her  body on an altar.

However in a twist of fate, the high court judge on circuit  in Gweru Justic Martin Makonese passed a verdict of not guilty and sent a 68 years old  Kenneth Masuku to a rehabilitation centre as he was deemed mentally insane at the time he committed the murder.

According to the evidence presented by the state, the accused, Masuku is said to have informed the deceased Lucia Dziwad (51) that he was instructed by a prophet to fetch flowing water from a river so as to cleanse their homestead from negative spirits.

Masuku requested his wife to accompany him to fetch water the water in Ngezi River.

However upon their return, Masuku suddenly diverted their route and headed to Mushandugwa hill where  picked up a log and struck the deceased once on the left side of the head and she fell down.

He delivered another blow on her her head and she became unconscious.

He proceeded to search the deceased and took her Nokia cell phone together with her identify card.

Masuku then placed her body on an already prepared altar of firewood. He lit the fire and left her body to burn there.

In a bid to conceal the crime, he buried  the deceased’s cell phone and ID card outside the yard of their home,

The remains were discovered on November 25, 2016 at the scene of the crime leading to the arrest of Masuku.

Masuku was examined by a psychiatrist at Mlondolozi  Special Institute from the period November 2017 to January 2018 and the doctor concluded he was insane.

Credit: iHARARE