Two Zimbabwean twins Born on August 24, 1983, in Madlelenyoni, Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province, Samukelisiwe and Attalia Zhou were once celebrated additions to their family, arriving as blessed twins. Little did anyone foresee that their lives would end tragically on the same day, 41 years later.
Samukelisiwe and Attalia Zhou were m_rdered by the former’s husband Justice Sibanda following a domestic conflict.
Sibanda later committed suicid3 after an unsuccessful reconciliation meeting with his inlaws.
Othillia Zhou said her sisters will buried at Madlelenyoni Village in Ntabazinduna just outside Bulawayo.
“We expect their remains today (yesterday) for burial on Sunday,” she said in an interview during the week.
Sibanda, from Gokwe, would have k!lled his brother in law Farai Zhou had his gun not jammed.
Sibanda erupted violently at a family meeting in Berea Gardens in Johannesburg and pulled out a gun to shoot his wife Samukelisiwe and her twin Attalia.
“He then attempted to sh00t my wife, but the gun he drew from his waist jammed,” Farai said as he narrated the events leading to the demise of his siblings.
“My wife ran away and he went after her at the same time trying to reorganise the firearm.
“Some woman at the flats hid my wife and he returned. He asked me not to look at him and lie face down.”
He added: “They were having dom3stic problems and we tried to have them reconcile, but when my sister openly said she would no longer wanted him, he snapped and drew the firearm and kill3d them.”
Zhou’s young brother who was in the meeting jumped out of the window and fled.
After seeing his brother inlaw shoot d3ad his sisters, Zhou said he became numb.
Zhou was forced to lie face down but the gun jammed.
Sibanda, prior to the tragedy, posted an audio where he revealed to his brother that something bad would happen because he could not stand his wife’s infid3lity.
This was Sibanda’s second marriage.
“She tells me difficult words,” Sibanda is heard saying in the audio.
“I left my wife for her, now this. I am broke. I cannot even repair my car.
“She tells me heavy words I cannot bear. If something bad happens, forgive me.”
Othillia said Samukelisiwe used to complain about Sibanda’s violent behaviour as the reason she wanted out.
“She said he was abusiv3 and vi0lent and regularly thrash her up,” she said.
“She complained of serious abdominal p@ins resulting from regular kicking during vi0lent episodes in their marriage.
As the Zhou family grapples with incomprehensible grief, they express disbelief and anguish over the loss of their gentle and non-vi0lent sisters. Thulani, another brother, emphasized that the twins’ d3aths were unjust and called for rituals to appease their ancestors and lay their souls to rest.
Source Newsday
