The Gweru man who on Tuesday killed his wife and two children during prayers collapsed and died at the magistrates’ courts while waiting for initial remand.

Leo Kanyimo (38) allegedly went into a trance on Tuesday afternoon and axed his wife and two children to death.

A member of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe, Leo Kanyimo who loved praying, stunned neighbours Tuesday, after he axed his wife and two kids to death.

Midlands provincial prosecutor Mr Samuel Pedzisayi confirmed the death of Kanyimo while he was in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services holding cells.

“The murder accused from Woodlands suburb Leo Kanyimo collapsed and died while in prison holding cells. He had been brought to court by the police and because of his extreme violent nature, he was put in the holding cells while his record was being opened,” said Mr Pedzisayi.

Sources who spoke to CommuTalk said Kanyimo supposedly succumbed to apprehension wounds.

An inside source told CommuTalk that police who attended the scene have observed that the now deceased had stitched deep cuts in his head, which he sustained as he resisted apprehension by the community.

“He is dead, and police have already attended the scene. Police who attended the scene say Kanyimo had stitched deep cuts in his head that he probably sustained during apprehension,” the source said.

An eye witness to Kanyimo’s arrest, Elton Gobha also confirmed that community members had resorted to hitting him with stones, having realized that he was attacking anyone who tried to get near him.

“The guy was ecstatic, wild and speaking in an unknown dialect. About 12 strong men were overpowered by Kanyimo single-handedly. Community members started attacking him with stones, also to have him release one of his now-deceased kids, who he was holding in his hand.

“It is one soldier who braved up to get even nearer and grabbed from him the wooded hoe he was using to attack people. He also used the weapon to hit him on both knees, which weakened him leading to police managing to apprehend him,” Gobha narrated.

Midlands police spokesperson, Ass Insp Emmanuel Mahoko however said he could not comment on the issue noting that it was being handled at the national office.

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