A WOMAN from Shurugwi who had been jilted by her husband allegedly forced her three children to drink poison before she took it too, killing her and her eldest daughter.

They died at Mpilo Central Hospital on Sunday while her two other children are still admitted to.

Cencia Ncube of Railway Block in Shurugwi took the tragic decision after her husband allegedly gave a vehicle the couple had bought to his mistress.

Ncube allegedly travelled to Gweru’s Mtapa suburb where her husband lives to confront him over the matter and he allegedly told her off.

Acting Midlands police spokesperson, Sergeant Xolani Dube said on Saturday Ncube forced her three children Pamela, 14, Lionel, 11, and Makanaka, 2, to drink water laced with dimethoate, a chemical cultured to kill mites and insects.

“Police in Shurugwi are investigating a case of murder and suicide where a female adult forced her three children Pamela, 14, Lionel 11, and Makanaka Ncube 2 to drink water laced with dimethoate before she also drank the same harmful substance.”

“The incident occurred at the woman’s residence at Railway Block in Shurugwi on Saturday at around 4PM,” he said.

Sgt Dube said an hour after the quartet had taken the chemical, Lionel went to inform their neighbour, Shelfin Williams, about what their mother had forced them to do.

“Williams went to the suspect’s home and found her groaning in pain together with her daughters and informed another neighbour, Herbert Manduku, who ferried Cencia and the children to Shurugwi District Hospital.

“Cencia and Pamela were referred to Mpilo hospital where they died on Sunday. The other two, Lionel and Makanaka are admitted to Shurugwi Hospital where their condition is stable,” he said.

One of the woman’s relatives Enoch Ncube said: “What you heard is the correct summary of events.”

Another relative who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity alleged that Ncube and her husband, only identified as saPamela, had a misunderstanding on his alleged extramarital affair.

The source said on Saturday, Ncube was informed by her aunt that her husband was having an extramarital affair with a woman who lives in Mambo high density suburb in Gweru.

The relative said the mistress had allegedly been given a vehicle that the couple had bought.

“Ncube’s aunt told her that her husband had given his mistress their vehicle and this angered her. She then came to Gweru and confronted the small house before confronting her husband who was drinking beer at Mtapa Shopping Centre. The husband told her off and said he was no longer interested in her,” said the relative.

The relative said Ncube, in anger, went back to Shurugwi where she forced her three children to down poison before also taking the toxic substance. by Munyaradzi Musiiwa and Elizabeth Tsuro. Source: the herald