CRIME & INVESTIGATIONS | THE AFTERMATH

One Week After the Horror and Bloodbath of DZ, the Tremors Triggered Are Still Being Felt

Byline: Online Reporter (Bmetro, Hmetro) | Arron Nyamayaro  
  Focus: Burial Revelations, The Suicide Note & Community Outcry  |  Published: September 16, 2026

THE BIG STORY: Today marks exactly a WEEK since news of a family tragedy in Dzvivarasekwa broke. The tremors triggered by the seismic events of that night of horror are still being felt. Commissioner Martin Muduva, who died in a bloodbath after he was axed by his wife Lyliosa Chirara, was finally buried in Buhera, while Lyliosa, who died after consuming rat poison, was laid to rest a day earlier.

The couple's love affair, which began 14 years ago when they were both students at Murambinda High School, ended in unimaginable violence. As their bodies were laid to rest, new details surrounding a controversial suicide note, a US$2,000 "token", and a delay in the Commissioner's burial have laid bare the deep fractures that destroyed their marriage.

A NATION MOURNS: The delayed burial ceremony of Commissioner Martin Muduva in Buhera was attended by various church leaders, community members, and the Buhera Development Forum.

Delayed Burial The Note The Token Leaders Speak Editorial

A Delayed Farewell: No Funeral Policy

Logistical challenges and rural realities cast a shadow over the Commissioner's final journey.

Commissioner Muduva had not built his own house in his rural area, and as a result, his funeral was conducted at his parents’ homestead. While Lyliosa was buried on Saturday, Muduva's burial was delayed until Sunday due to unforeseen logistical hurdles.

Waiting for a Coffin “Muduva was an urban person and he did not build his own house here in the village,” said a community member. “We were told burial was supposed to happen on Saturday but it was delayed because we heard that he had no funeral policy while his wife had a funeral policy. Takaswera takatarisira body on Friday only to be told that his coffin was yet to be bought.”

"The Fool, The Dog, The Waste"

A suicide note written in two colors reveals a deeply troubled mind pregnant with fury.

Lyliosa left behind a suicide note exclusively obtained by H-Metro, offering a devastating insight into what led her to kill her husband and take her own life. In the letter, she suggested that in the eyes of Commissioner Muduva and his family, she had turned into a “FOOL, THE DOG, THE WASTE.”

For some strange reason, she decided to write a portion dedicated to Commissioner Muduva’s brother in red ink, while the rest of the letter was written in blue ink. The brother, Misheck Muduva (referred to as Babamukuru Baba va Philip), had accompanied the late Commissioner to pay lobola for his second wife, Patience Mangwiro.

Directing Her Fury “Babamukuru Baba va Philip, be happy, all that you wanted has come to pass, you were the one encouraging Martin to get an educated wife because the wife that he had was no longer fit for him,” Lyliosa wrote. “I was always trying to tell you how I was suffering but I could see that you didn’t have any concern... But, you intervened when Patience Mangwiro was being married because you wanted her. Chisarai mugarike, please take care of my children.”

The US$2,000 Counseling Token

Misheck Muduva acknowledges the suicide note's claims and reveals financial attempts to mend the marital rift.

Addressing mourners, Misheck Muduva acknowledged the contents of the suicide note and the part where Lyliosa blamed him for supporting Commissioner Muduva’s polygamy. He stated that the couple had been experiencing misunderstandings for some time, primarily sparked by Muduva's decision to marry another wife.

A Financial Apology Misheck claimed that Lyliosa had accepted the polygamous setup after counseling sessions with her sisters present, though she refused to cancel the marriage certificate. “Muduva told us he had given Lyliosa US$2,000, but she neither confirmed nor denied receiving that money as a token for violating their marriage vows,” he revealed.

"Violence Leaves No Winners"

Traditional and church leaders use the tragedy to urge communities against Gender-Based Violence.

The shocking nature of the murder-suicide prompted intense reactions from community leaders in Buhera, who emphasized the critical need for counseling and open dialogue in marriages.

Headman Mombeyarara (Clemence Mutafiri): “As traditional leaders, we encourage people to consider counselling sessions rather than resorting to evil acts... Where a husband wishes to marry another wife, let it be discussed openly and avoid extra-marital affairs.”

Apostle Benjamin Joseph Murata (New Life Pentecostal Church): “The rise in murder and gender-based violence cases is a challenge to us church leaders. We should be transforming people’s lives through counselling and empowerment, not looking for ways to ‘milk’ people and leave them poor.”

Reverend Tsitsi Madziyire (UMC Seke North Circuit): “It is better to move away from an unhealthy marriage, pray about it, and see if there will be changes than resorting to violence. To men, be responsible, seek help when faced with challenges and open your eyes to see that there is nothing special in extra-marital affairs.”

A Message of Peace Bishop Albert Chikuni of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD-Zimbabwe) delivered a poignant reminder: “Whether the perpetrator is male or female, violence in the home leaves no winners – only grief, trauma and shattered families. The home should be a sanctuary of love, dialogue and healing.”

SONA VERDICT

A 14-Year Journey Ending in Tragedy

A week has passed, yet the shockwaves of what transpired in Dzivarasekwa remain palpable. A love story that started humbly at Murambinda High School 14 years ago devolved into a horrifying bloodbath fueled by resentment, a secret marriage, and feelings of deep inadequacy.

The revelations at Commissioner Muduva's burial—from the frantic logistics of securing a coffin, to the red-inked accusations against his brother, and the US$2,000 "token" meant to soothe the ultimate betrayal—paint a picture of a marital crisis that no amount of money could fix. As church and traditional leaders powerfully noted, holding onto a broken, toxic marriage instead of seeking an exit only breeds catastrophe. The children left behind are the ultimate victims of a war that had no winners.

© Sona Headlines | Crime & Investigations Desk

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