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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
A Bulilima man is on the run after allegedly assaulting his nine months pregnant girlfriend with a log leading to her death in hospital.

The woman was a student teacher at Masendu Primary School.

Chief Madlambuzi said Tabona Nleya (33) who was a student at Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic College died after a spending a week in the Intensive Care Unit at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).

He said her boyfriend Alias Ncube, an umalayitsha from Tsholotsho District, is suspected to have fled to Botswana soon after committing the offence.

“There is an incident of a woman from Bambadzi Ward which is in my area who died after she was attacked by her boyfriend with a log. The woman was a student teacher at Masendu Primary School but is originally from Bambadzi area,” said Chief Madlambuzi.

“It appears that she had a misunderstanding with her boyfriend on December 16 and the man struck her with a log several times on the head until she lost consciousness. She was taken to UBH where she later died on Wednesday,” he said.

The village head, Mr Godfrey Khupe said Nleya’s neighbours heard her screaming for help at night.

He said villagers went to inquire and found Nleya, who was nine months pregnant, lying unconscious on the floor. He said Ncube had already fled, leaving the log at the scene.

Mr Khupe said Nleya was rushed to Plumtree District Hospital and was immediately referred to UBH while in a coma.

“Ncube and Nleya were continuously quarrelling over different issues but on that particular day no one knows what caused the misunderstanding as they were alone at home. When villagers got to the homestead it was already too late.

“Nleya was bleeding profusely from the head. She lost the baby soon after being admitted and she died a few days later. The injuries that she sustained were severe,” he said.

Mr Khupe said soon after the incident villagers tried to track Ncube’s shoeprints but they led them to the Botswana Border. He said villagers suspected that he fled to the neighbouring country soon after committing the offence.

“It is so painful for a person to die in the manner Nleya did. We always knew that Ncube was a violent man but we never thought he could go this far especially considering that his girlfriend was nine months pregnant,” he said.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said police had launched a manhunt for Ncube.  “We are investigating an incident of an umalayitsha who beat up his girlfriend with a log and the woman who was nine months pregnant later died at UBH.

We have launched a manhunt for Ncube who is suspected to have fled to Botswana,” he said.

— @DubeMatutu