A 29-year-old man from Hobhouse, Mutare, in Zimbabwe was arrested recently after he allegedly killed his wife, raped the corpse and hung it from a roof truss in their bedroom in a bid to make it appear as if she had committed suicide.

Joel Mutasa (29), reportedly committed the offense in the presence of the couple’s two children aged seven and five, respectively.

Mutasa was later arrested by detectives in Penhalonga, just outside Mutare.

Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed Mutasa’s arrest.

Asst Insp Chinyoka said Mutasa and his wife, Bryline Ngare (27), had a long-standing dispute, with Mutasa accusing Ngare of having an extramarital affair. He said:

Mutasa left home in January. On February 25, the now-late Ngare retired to bed with her two children. Around midnight, Mutasa came and knocked on the door. Ngare opened the door.

A misunderstanding ensued between the two and Mutasa grabbed Ngare by the neck and strangled her to death.

After killing his estranged wife, Mutasa undressed her and became intimate with the corpse.

Police said Mutasa used a wet towel to clean Ngare’s private parts before changing her clothes.

Mutasa allegedly took a thick yellow twine and joined it with a wire, tied it around the deceased’s neck, lifted her up from the bed, and hung her on the roof truss.

Hours after Mutasa had fled from the scene, a neighbor was awakened by the couple’s children who were crying as they tried to open the door.

The neighbor opened the door and saw Ngare’s body hanging from the truss.

Mutasa was arrested while at Premier Central, Penhalonga, where he was panning for gold.

He admitted to strangling his wife and raping the corpse and faking her suicide.