RABALI – Residents of Rabali Village are still shocked about the death of Mrs Maria Magadagela (41). Magadagela died at the Siloam Hospital on Sunday morning. Her death is related to an incident that took place at Rabali village last Saturday evening.

According to the spokesperson of the police in Vhembe area, Capt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, it is alleged that the deceased's husband gave her R300 on Saturday morning to go pay the monthly instalment for furniture.

The husband waited patiently until later in the evening for the return of his wife. The statement indicates that the woman came back home towards midnight. The suspect questioned her about her late arrival and she allegedly confessed that she had not gone to the furniture shop as instructed; instead, she had been drinking.

At that stage, the deceased was reportedly drunk. The man apparently lost his temper and started beating the woman with a wooden stick. The woman fell down and the man allegedly continued with his brutal activity. She later lost her consciousness.

She was rushed to Siloam Hospital, where she died the following morning.

The police arrested the deceased's husband, a 62-year-old man, and charged him with murder on Sunday morning. He was still to appear in the Dzanani Magistrate's Court at the time of going to press.