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Conrad Mupesa–Mashonaland West Bureau 

POLICE in Chinhoyi have launched a manhunt for a suspect who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death and injured her daughter on Monday. 

Police confirmed the murder through its Twitter handle on Tuesday following the gruesome murder of Petronella Ncube (38) of Staff Quarters, Chikonohono in Chinhoyi by her boyfriend only identified as Tafadzwa. 

Petronella, according to police reports, was stabbed once on the leg before bleeding to death. 

The fugitive believed to be an artisanal miner, also stabbed the victim’s 11-year-old daughter on the leg with a flicker knife as she tried to restrain him from further inflicting harm on her mother. 

Police urged the public with information on the whereabouts of the suspect to contact the nearest police station. 

According to their Twitter handle, police said the suspect attacked the victim after he found her with another man in her bedroom. 

However, according to neighbours, the victim, a commercial sex worker, was stabbed multiple times by the suspect including on her thighs and chest. 

One of the neighbours and witness said, the fugitive pounced at Petronella unexpectedly finding her in the company of another man. 

“Tafadzwa asked her who the other man was and sensing danger, Petronella tried to escape, but the suspect caught up with her just outside the house where he physically assaulted her. 

“She tried to seek refuge in the main house where Tafadzwa stabbed her twice on the thigh before going into the bedroom where he took her phone and identification card,” said the witness who requested anonymity. 

She added that upon returning, the suspect questioned her why she was in bed with another man before stabbing her on the right chest and below her breast. 

“He also stabbed her on her arms and legs before finally stabbing her on the left chest side thrice which we believe led to her death,” said another witnessed who denied to be identified as she fears the suspect currently on the run might also pounce at them. 

The suspect is said to have dropped the knife by the main door before vanishing from the scene. 

“We tried to save Petronella without any luck before we called the police to attend to the murder scene.” 

The neighbours mostly women who had earlier dreaded to restrain the suspect, rushed the victim’s daughter to the hospital where she was attended to in the early hours of Tuesday.