Zim beauty queen stabbed, lover knifed to death in dawn bloodbath

Zim beauty queen stabbed, lover knifed to death in dawn bloodbath

JOY: Nomsa Muhlwa (left) with her sister, Miss Zimbabwe UK 2007 Sindiso Muhlwa, and their mum

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By Staff Reporter

A ZIMBABWEAN beauty queen cheated death after being stabbed on her hand and watching her soon-to-be-married boyfriend knifed to death in Hull, England, early Sunday.

Nomsa Muhlwa, 25, the elder sister to the reigning Miss Zimbabwe UK, Sindiso Muhlwa, was too traumatised to talk on Tuesday, two days after the dawn bloodbath.

Nomsa has participated in dozens of beauty contests, including Miss Southern Africa in August.

Her 25-year-old South African boyfriend died in the attack.

Police arrested Angolan national, Etiene Vidal Puna, 22, and charged him with murder. Puna is Nomsa’s ex-boyfriend.

Known to friends as Zee, Puna appeared in court on Tuesday and also faced a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent for allegedly assaulting Nomusa in her home on Salcett Way, Hull.

Questions were being asked about the Humberside police after it emerged that Puna, of Hardy Street, Hull, had been arrested just days earlier after breaking into Nomsa’s house and stealing an undisclosed sum of money and a bank card.

Nomsa’s friends told New Zimbabwe.com that Puna had been detained for close to 15 hours before he was released with just a warning on his future behaviour.

Detective Superintendent Ray Higgins, who is leading the investigation, admitted there had been trouble at the address before.

He added: “What has happened to this man is a real tragedy. The incident happened in a very nice area, they are all new houses and it’s a real shock for neighbours to be awoken to this.”

One of Nomsa’s friends said: “This guy had been threatening to harm Nomsa for a while. He told his friends that if he couldn’t have her, then no-one will.

“Police knew of this, and after they arrested him, they released him to kill. They released him without protecting Nomsa.”

Nomsa took part in the Miss Southern Africa beauty pageant, a week after her sister, Sindiso, was crowned Miss Zimbabwe UK 2007 in August.

The news could not have come at a worse time for Sindiso, who will represent Zimbabwe in the Mahogany Top Model of Colour beauty pageant at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday night.

She was also too upset to talk on Tuesday. She said: “I’m sorry I can’t comment on that.”

Friends said the 25-year-old victim, who cannot be named because his next of kin are yet to be informed, worked at a local train station and has previously worked for the Royal Mail.

Pals revealed he had agreed a date with Nomsa’s parents to go and pay lobola in line with African tradition before Sunday’s tragedy.

Neighbours told how Nomsa desperately banged on their doors just after 6am, moments after seeing her lover being stabbed.

Kirsty English, 19, of Selset Way, said: "She was knocking on all the doors around here to get help.

"I later found some blood on the fence which had been on the woman's hand after she had witnessed her boyfriend being stabbed.

"It has only just hit me now what has happened. Everybody saw the body being brought out of the house. We are in shock."

Nomsa’s boyfriend -- described as lovely, tall and hardworking in tributes from friends on internet chatrooms -- was dead by the time police officers arrived at the scene, having been called by a resident.

Nomsa, who is thought to be a nurse, and her two daughters aged eight and four, are now being looked after in a safe house by specially trained officers. Her mobile phone was constantly going to voicemail.

Pauline Cochran, who lives directly opposite Nomsa, said: "No one expects such violence and something as terrible as this to happen on their doorstep.

"They were very nice. She is a very outgoing and bubbly person. She is a very friendly girl and I got on well with her."

Another neighbour, who did not want to give his name, said he had met the slain man for the first time at 3pm on Saturday, hours before he suffered fatal stab wounds.

He said: "This guy seemed very nice. He was a young lad. They both seemed so happy together. I hadn't seen this new fella before. He was her new boyfriend."

Police said they were keen to recover a cream leather jacket. It is believed the jacket may be heavily blood-stained. Police have reason to believe it may be in an area around Cottingham Road, Hardy Street or the Ash Grove area of Hull, or anywhere in between the two.
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