The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said Wiseman Sai (55) was convicted of murdering Lucia Mpofu (27) and sentenced by the High Court of Zimbabwe sitting at Gweru.
According to the NPAZ, the fatal attack occurred on January 29, 2026, at about 5am when Sai and Mpofu were asleep in a single-room dwelling with their 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old niece.
“The offender and the now deceased were asleep in their single-room together with their 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old niece, when a misunderstanding arose between the couple,” the NPAZ said.
The prosecution said the domestic dispute subsequently turned violent, with Sai strangling his wife before using a kitchen knife to stab her.
“The offender strangled the now deceased by the neck before producing a kitchen knife and stabbed her once in the chest,” the NPAZ said.
The two children reportedly witnessed the attack before fleeing the room to alert their grandfather.
“The two juveniles witnessed the incident and fled from the room to alert their grandfather,” the authority said.
The grandfather proceeded to the scene and found Mpofu outside the room, where she had collapsed following the attack.
“The grandfather proceeded to the scene and found the now deceased lying outside the room in a pool of blood, with the knife still lodged in her chest,” the NPAZ said.
Sai had fled the scene by the time the grandfather arrived and was subsequently arrested after a report was made to the police.
“The offender had fled from the scene and was later arrested following a police report,” the NPAZ said.
A post-mortem examination subsequently established that Mpofu died from injuries sustained during the attack.
“A post-mortem established the cause of death as cardiac tamponade, heart laceration and a stab wound to the chest,” the authority said.
The 35-year sentence handed down by the High Court brings the case to a conclusion following the conviction, while the NPAZ used the matter to reiterate the need for members of the public to resolve domestic disputes without resorting to violence.
