CHURCH GUARD ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF LIVE-IN-LOVER

MANZINI – A lovers’ quarrel ended tragically when a church guard allegedly murdered his live-in-lover in cold blood.

The tragic death of Lomaculo Matsenjwa (42) remains the talk of the community at Malindza, after she was allegedly murdered by her lover, who is a security guard at Christ Anglican Church at Mpaka.

The shocking incident occurred on Saturday evening at Mpaka on the church premises, where Matsenjwa allegedly lived with her lover.  

Matsenjwa’s lover has since been arrested.  Information gathered stated that Matsenjwa and *Samson were in a tumultuous love relationship, wrought with numerous alleged incidents of domestic violence and alcohol abuse.

They have been in a love relationship since last August, with Matsenjwa having left her home at Malindza to live with Samson.

Alcohol

It was alleged that on Saturday evening, the couple was relaxing in Samson’s two-room flat enjoying alcoholic beverages after they as they were seen purchasing the booze at a nearby drinking hole earlier that evening. However, sources nearby the church premises stated that a woman was heard screaming at around 10pm that day; however, after a few minutes the screams abruptly stopped.

According to the church overseer, Ntombi Potgeiter, upon her arrival at the church on Sunday at about 10am along with three other women, she found that Samson was not present in his flat and the door was locked with a padlock.

She stated that she usually greeted Matsenjwa and Samson every time she went to the church; however, she decided to proceed into the church to prepare for the day’s service. She recalled how uneasy she was when a police van arrived shortly after the church ladies had started singing. 

“The officers alighted from their vehicle and introduced themselves to us, and asked us where Samson was. We told them that we had not seen him or Matsenjwa that morning. The officers further informed us that there was an incident that occurred at the church premises, however, we denied any knowledge of same since we hadn’t seen Samson that morning,” a visibly traumatised Potgeiter relayed. She narrated that a few minutes after the police arrived, Samson arrived on his bicycle.

According to Potgeiter, Samson appeared to have bite marks on his left cheek, and his face was swollen.  

Injured

Thereafter, Potgeiter recalled that a visibly injured Samson engaged the officers and informed them that he had (allegedly) murdered Matsenjwa the previous night and had locked her in his house.

She recalled her shock when the officers opened Samson’s flat, where they found a lifeless Matsenjwa lying on the bed. She further recalled how calm, peaceful and unusually clean Matsenjwa was.

“It appeared as though she had taken a bath, and her appearance greatly contradicted Samson’s account that they were engaged in a fight. There were no blood stains anywhere in the house, and no signs of a struggle,” she narrated. Upon viewing Matsenjwa’s body, Potgeiter expressed that she suspected that she (Matsenjwa) was strangled with a belt as her neck was swollen. She further said when her body was turned over by the officers, there were abrasions on her back, which could be linked to an assault.

On the other hand, Malindza bucopho Seven Days Tsabedze, said the community was still reeling from shock after the incident.

“It is unfortunate that the woman lost her life, when she could have been saved earlier. I would like to express my condolences to Matsenjwa’s family,” he said.

He expressed hope that the perpetrator would be dealt with by the law, and further comforted Matsenjwa’s children to find peace in their mother’s death.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirmed that a 50-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of a 42-year-old woman at Malindza.

*Matsenjwa’s lover cannot be named as he has not yet appeared in court.

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