Tongai Moyo’s wife kills self over small house

Sungura artiste Tongai Moyo’s wife Barbara Muchengeti died at Kwekwe General Hospital last night where she had been admitted after taking poison following a domestic dispute.

The Utakataka Express front man confirmed the death early this morning.The artiste suspects things took a bad turn when he invited his younger wife to stay with them about four months ago.

"We had a family discussion with Barbara, my second wife (Miniehle Mukweli) and my sister as we tried to seek ways on how to improve our life.

"As you know I have been sick and saw it fit to bring the two women under one roof. Barbara akabvuma zvaakange asingade and I never suspected it would end like this," a sobbing Dhewa said.

He said on the fateful day, his elder wife Barbara requested to visit relatives at Sesombe in Zhombe.

On arrival at their business there, the artiste said, his wife sent their relatives to buy beer and she remained behind to take poison in their absence.

"When my relatives returned from the shops, they found her trembling and phoned me," the Utakataka Express frontman said from his Kwekwe base.

The couple had two children.

Tongai said he had no option than to cancel all his shows, one of which was a clash with Oliver Mtukudzi in Kadoma.

Earlier on, Dhewa — as Tongai is affectionately known by his legion of fans — had been seen at Kwekwe Police Station assisting police with investigations.

Family members close to the developments said Dhewa had told his wife that if she did not approve of his plans, he would relocate to Harare with his new wife.

Dhewa, however, had initially given a different version of events claiming that his late wife had accidentally taken poison.

"What happened is that my wife left home at around 3pm to visit my brother’s wife in Sesombe, Zhombe.

"Along the way, she bought drinks for herself and the children. She stopped at our shop at Sesombe Business Centre to see our relatives who work there.

"Barbara poured her drink into a cup that was in the shop and drank from it.

"Apparently she felt dizzy after finishing her drink," he said.

He said staff at the shop told her not to drive and instead wait for him.

Dhewa said he went to Zhombe and drove his wife to Kwekwe General Hospital.

"Today I went to Zhombe to inquire what had exactly transpired and we realised that she might have accidentally taken rat poison.

"When we were discussing the issue with relatives, we realised that she might have swallowed rat poison they had sprayed in the building to get rid of rats.

"So far, we are suspecting that it could be food poisoning but the doctors have not come up with the right diagnosis," Dhewa had said.

Dhewa said he had at first thought his children had also taken the poison, but they were certified fit by hospital staff.

Hospital staff declined to comment citing patient confidentiality rules.

Medical superintendent Dr Thomas Mupfuwahuku, said: "I can confirm that the patient in question is here, but I cannot allow you to see her as she did not instruct me to allow you."

Moyo’s relatives at the hospital refused to talk to the media saying only the musician was in a position to do so.