McKeed Kotlolo

McKeed Kotlolo

He was head of the prison in Carolina but when Hendrik Vusi Mnguni faced the prospect of divorce he drew his gun and shot his wife and himself dead.

Mnguni, 42, shot Nomfundo Valencia Mnguni, 33, three times in the presence of a female friend and colleague on Thursday .

"Without saying anything he allegedly fired several shots at her and her colleague," Superintendent Abie Khoabane said.

"He then sat down on a chair in the office and shot himself."

The colleague, who was wounded in both hands during the shooting, was rushed to hospital .

The deceased's brother, Stanley Ngozo, said it all started last Saturday when Nomfundo left home to visit friends.

"When she did not return Vusi tried to call her but she did not respond," Ngozo said. "He went to look for her at her sister's place but she was not there.

"My brother asked the sister to call her using her cellphone, which they put on speaker.

"Nomfundo responded saying the sister should not worry. She was in safe hands with a local magistrate at a colleague's home."

Ngozo said this information is included in his brother's suicide note, which also states that he could not face the divorce and the justice system.

The couple is survived by one child and will be given a joint funeral on Saturday.