By Desire Tshuma
Chiredzi — The killing of 25-year-old Lisedi Nkomo has taken a second tragic turn after the man accused of shooting her dead was found dead two days later at a guest lodge in Chiredzi.
Nkomo, a fourth-year Psychology student at Midlands State University and mother of an eight-month-old baby boy, was shot once in the forehead at her boarding house in Senga, Gweru, on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
Police say her ex-husband, Godknows Muleya (30), arrived at Number 1082, Senga KMP, at about 3pm. A misunderstanding reportedly arose at about 5.30pm, after which Nkomo was shot once in the forehead with a pistol.
Other students who rushed into the passage after hearing the shot were allegedly threatened, had their mobile phones confiscated and thrown into a bathtub, and were locked inside the same room as Nkomo’s body. They were later freed by police after caretaker Blessing Nkomo returned from town with officers.
Muleya, a director of a Bulawayo-based security company from Bulawayo, fled the scene. He was later named by police as the suspect in the murder investigation.
His body was discovered on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at a guest lodge in Chiredzi, with a gunshot wound to the forehead. Police said a pistol, a magazine containing three live rounds and a spent cartridge were recovered at the scene in Chiredzi.
Investigations are underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding Muleya’s death. Police have not yet confirmed whether the weapon recovered at the lodge is the same one used in the Gweru shooting.
Nkomo hailed from Plumtree in Matabeleland South Province and was studying for an Honours Degree in Psychology at MSU. In a lengthy social media post published a day after the shooting, Muleya did not directly address the allegation against him but wrote about their relationship, saying it had faced challenges from the start, including difficulties involving both families. He said he had tried to fulfil traditional obligations to be accepted and that when Nkomo fell pregnant, he had wanted to stand by her and their child. He also disclosed that he had been married to another woman, Kimberly, when he became involved with Nkomo.
Nkomo is survived by her infant son.
The case has added to a growing national concern over murders arising from domestic and intimate partner disputes.
On September 24, 2026, the Zimbabwe Republic Police raised alarm over a spate of murders, attempted murders and suicides linked to couples and family disputes, with five people dead and at least four others hospitalised in just three days. The cases included a mother in Zhombe who allegedly poisoned her two young sons, a couple found dead in Glen View, Harare, and a man in Mukumbura who allegedly axed his wife to death over infidelity allegations.
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission has also warned that intimate partner violence is escalating into fatal outcomes. Launching a 90-day national campaign against intimate partner violence on October 2, 2026, Commission Chairperson Dr Leslie Ncube said police recorded 13,838 cases of sexual offences and aggravated domestic violence in 2024, including cases that escalated to grievous bodily harm, murder and suicide.
“The Commission is deeply concerned by the increasing number of reported cases of fatal domestic disputes,” Ncube said. “These incidents underscore the urgent need for strengthened early intervention, prevention, and coordinated national response mechanisms to prevent domestic conflicts from escalating into violence and loss of life.”
Ncube said intimate partner violence cannot be dismissed as a private family matter, but must be treated as a human rights, gender equality and development concern. He cited the 2023-24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, which found 27 percent of women aged 15 to 49 had experienced physical violence and 9 percent had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
The Commission says many cases remain unreported due to fear, stigma, economic dependence, threats and limited access to support services, and that behind every reported case there may be many more hidden.
The campaign, which runs from October to December 2026 and culminates in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, focuses on early warning signs, prevention, mental health dialogue, peaceful conflict resolution and survivor support.