Zimpapers Logo

• Nurse dies after brutal assault
  • Claimed she ‘pimped’ his wife

The late Tecla Sibanda

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
A DOCTOR at Mpilo Central Hospital has been arrested after he allegedly pummelled a nurse with a log, causing her death days later. Police arrested Dr Alexander Ndlovu yesterday following the death of Tecla Sibanda, 27, from Mzilikazi suburb in Bulawayo. Sibanda was working at a local private surgery.

Dr Ndlovu is said to have flown into a rage two weeks ago and violently assaulted Sibanda – accusing her of pimping his wife to other men. She died in her sleep early Tuesday this week, allegedly from injuries sustained during the assault.

Inspector Precious Simango of Bulawayo police said Dr Ndlovu is facing a murder investigation and will appear in court soon.

“We’ve received a report of a man who assaulted a female with a wooden log. She sustained injuries to her hands and complained of back pain afterwards. Later she developed a fever and died on Tuesday morning. Our officers are holding a man on suspicion of murder,” said Insp Simango.

Her family said Sibanda died in her sleep. The family believes her death is linked to the alleged brutal assault at the hands of Dr Ndlovu, who allegedly accused Sibanda of arranging secret trysts for his wife with other men.

“She was assaulted two weeks ago by the doctor. But she had been well all along, going to work and doing everything by herself. On Monday, she was even drinking with her friends right here,” Nomsa Mlotshwa, her aunt, said from Mzilikazi.

She said there was no-one who could have suspected anything was wrong with her.

Mlotshwa said later on Monday night, Sibanda was struggling to fall asleep resulting in her mother inviting her to sleep in her bedroom so that she could monitor her.

“After midnight, on Tuesday morning, she woke up and switched on the lights and started watching television. Her mother approached her asking why she was still awake,” said Mlotshwa.

Her mother, added Mlotshwa, told her to come to her bedroom so that she could observe her overnight.

“That’s when she fell asleep and never woke up,” said Mlotshwa.

She said Sibanda’s mother was shocked to discover that she was dead the following morning.

“After realising that she couldn’t wake up, her mother called her neighbour who confirmed that she was dead,” she said.

Mlotshwa said a post mortem report which will determine the cause of death will be released today.

Dr Ndlovu’s friends rallied to his defence, insisting the assault was not the cause of death. They claimed Sibanda was known for abusing dangerous drugs.

“She was using pethidine, a painkiller and muscle relaxant. It’s very dangerous when taken in high doses.

“It leads to depression and death. The doctor might have assaulted her but I doubt he’s the reason for her death,” said a friend of the doctor.

He also alleged that Sibanda was in trouble with her employer from whom she had stolen medical drugs that included pethidine.