HARARE – A Kuwadzana man accused of killing his wife claimed before the court that the woman had turned into a big snake.
Afareshe Gambiza, 48, is being charged with culpable homicide for fatally running over his second wife Felistas Choruwa.
“I was driving my car registration ACM 2470 along High Glen Road intending to pick up Charlton Bvute at a bus stop directly opposite the shopping mall when all of a sudden Choruwa, who did not appear in her real form but rather a big snake, came like a whirlwind,” Gambiza told the court.
“I had no option but to face the oncoming traffic and when I stopped, I heard people making noise and looked in the mirror and saw that it was Choruwa lying unconscious on the ground.
“My conduct in the circumstances was what any other reasonable person in a similar predicament could have done.”
Prosecutor Tinashe Makiya alleged that on April 17, 2014, Gambiza arranged to see a prophet concerning their child’s illness but forbade Choruwa from attending.
Gambiza decided to go with his cousin Bvute, who the couple lived with. This did not go down well with Choruwa, who insisted on accompanying them, the court heard.
When Bvute was about to board the vehicle, Choruwa tried to enter the car first and this infuriated Gambiza who drove off at high speed while she was clinging on the front passenger door, the State claims.
The court heard that Choruwa was dragged on the tarmac with her baby strapped on her back for 100 metres, before falling down.
She sustained injuries on the head and was later rushed to Harare Central Hospital where she was proclaimed dead upon admission. The baby was discharged on the same day.
A post-mortem report indicated that Choruwa died due to head injuries sustained during the accident.-Dailynews
