TONDERAI Luwisi, a former director at PriceWaterHouseCoopers, has told a judge that he stabbed his wife because she allegedly told him that their two children aged 17 and 12, were not his.
The accused also told the court that during a brawl with his wife Palegia Muregwi, 38, and that in the process, she also stabbed and injured him.
The court also heard during trial from the couple’s daughter who narrated that she saw her father, the accused, stabbing her mother in the neck using a knife which had never been seen before in the house.
This is in a case Luwisi, 45, an accountant of Jesmondine, is accused of murdering his wife Palegia Muregwi, 38 on December 10, 2022 in Jesmondine where the woman was staying with the two children while the accused lived in Foxdale.
It is alleged that at the time of the incident, the accused asked their 17-year-old son to go and buy some drinks while he remained with his wife and their 12-year-old daughter home.
Luwisi denied the allegations but Judge Bonaventure Mbewe found him with a case to answer.
In his defence, the accused denied killing his wife but admitted having stabbed her after a difference which occurred at the time when his wife was living with the children in Jesmondine.
He testified that his wife moved to Jesmondine in October, 2022 but that their differences as a couple were later resolved and he used to visit her.
“I used to spend most of my time in Jesmondine depending on my availability and my wife’s availability,” he said.
The court heard that on the material day, he went to visit his wife but during the same evening, a physical fight ensued after she allegedly told him that their two children were not his.
“My wife told me that the two children are not mine, that I wasn’t their father and she is taking the children away from me,” the man narrated.
“I was shocked and confused with what my wife was telling me. I was furious, I was heartbroken. I was hurt,” the accused said, adding that the during the brawl, she pushed him and picked a knife from the kitchen and said “son of a ***** shall be killed,”.
The accused said his wife stabbed him in the neck and chest, leaving him with more than 50 wounds.
“I then overpowered my wife and grabbed the knife she had and I stabbed her,” Luwisi said.
The accused said, in a confused state, he drove to his work place which was near and informed someone that he had been attacked before he later blacked out.
Below is part of a verbatim extract of a cross examination by the state.
State”: How long were you were married to the deceased?
Accused: Almost 18 years.
State: You agree that at the time you lived together, you used to have differences like any couple? Accused: Yes.
State: During that time, do you remember threatening to kill your wife if she leaves you?
Accused: No.
State: Are you aware that your two children informed this court that during the time you used to have differences with the deceased, you used to threaten to kill her if she left you
Accused: Yes am aware.
State: Confirm your wife eventually moved or relocated to Jesmondine due to the differences?
Accused: Yes. I wouldn’t say relocated cause I paid rent.
State: Are you aware that when your son was away to buy some drinks, your daughter told the court that she heard a loud bang followed by intense screaming from the bedroom?
Accused”: Yes, but I cannot remember her saying she heard that the mother was screaming.
State: Tell court who screamed between you and the deceased since you were there ?
Accused: I can’t remember.
State: You agree that it is the deceased who screamed
Accused: I don’t know.
State: Is it you then who screamed?
Accused: I can’t remember.
State: Are you aware that your daughter, upon hearing a scream and a thud, she panicked running to the kitchen because the time you used to live in the same room, you used to threaten to kill her mother before? Did you hear her testify to that?
Accused: I can’t remember that testimony.
State: When she ran to the kitchen, she found you holding the deceased against the corner in the kitchen to the wall.
Accused: Yes
State: You agree at the time of the altercation, she told you your children are not your children you had an opportunity to walk away?
Accused: Yes but i was….. State interjects: No explanation.
State: During the physical altercation, you stabbed the deceased in the neck?
Accused: I can’t remember.
State: Do you remember using a knife to stab the deceased?
Accused: Yes.
State: Which part of the body?
Accused: I can’t remember.
State: As a result of your stabbing, the deceased had fatal injuries and fell on the floor?
Accused: No, the fight was on the floor.
State: I put it to you that you attacked the deceased and there was no fight .
Accused: No!!!!
State: You agree that you did not dispute the evidence by your daughter that she found you stabbing the deceased?
Accused: I can’t remember.
State: Do you remember telling your workmate that you were attacked by criminals?
Accused: I don’t remember.
State: Tell court the Whatsapp message you sent to your son.
Accused: I remember telling my children the things I left for them and that my son should take care of her sister
State: In the whstdspp message read on a phone before court, you said in the last part of the Whatsapp message that “Am sorry to [daughthers name and son’s name] and i had to kill your mother and myself”.
State: Who wrote that?
Accused: I cannot remember writing that part of the message.
Judgement is set for August 23,2023 at 10:00
(Mwebantu, Thursday, 22nd June, 2023)
