Husband 'fired shots after rows'

The former taxi driver staged his wife's suicide, prosecutors say

A man accused of murdering his wealthy wife in Zimbabwe often fired gunshots in the couple's home after arguments, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Michael Bamford, of Greater Manchester, is accused of shooting his wife, Ivy Sutcliffe, 61, in the head at their luxury home in Harare in 2004.

Gardener Tich Waladi told Manchester Crown Court he would hear gunshots from the house "three or four times a week".

Mr Bamford, 51, of Church Street, Littleborough, denies murder.

The court heard how the couple drank frequently and often entered into arguments, with Mrs Sutcliffe occasionally sleeping in her car afterwards.

When I was in the house I heard a gunshot Tich Waladi, gardener

Mr Waladi said: "Especially when they were arguing, I used to hear these gunshots."

Appearing via videolink from Harare, Mr Waladi told the court he saw the couple arguing near their swimming pool on the day of Mrs Sutcliffe's death.

He later heard two shots from the main house while he was in the servants' quarters.

Mr Waladi said: "When I was in the house I heard a gunshot. For the first time it was loud and I heard a second one in less than five minutes which was a little bit low."

He told the court he did not go to investigate the shots because "it was something that was usual".

The court heard Mrs Sutcliffe was killed by a single shot to the head on 2 August 2004, at the house on St Michael's Lane, Borrowdale.

Mrs Sutcliffe was shot at their home in Harare, Zimbabwe

Annah Makoni, who worked as a housemaid for the couple also described their drunken rows via videolink from Zimbabwe.

She said: "After going out they would come back drunk. They would start arguing, they could start fighting and Ivy would say 'Get out of my house', but Michael refused and Ivy would go out.

"They would argue and then in the morning Madam would tell me 'I fled, I was scared of being beaten'," she added.

Mike Mullen, who rented a cottage in the gardens of the property in 2003, told jurors he also witnessed shots being fired after their rows.

He described escorting her home one night after one row, when he heard what sounded like a pistol being cocked.

Crash injuries

"I grabbed Ivy, I pushed her behind one of the vehicles, I dived behind the other vehicle," he said.

A series of shots were fired, Mr Mullen said, but he could not recall any bullets hitting anything.

The court heard that Mrs Sutcliffe and her husband were involved in a car crash two days before her death.

Mr Bamford told his staff she had serious injuries and may not survive, Miss Makoni told the court.

But Mrs Sutcliffe - who had no visible signs of any injuries - told the housekeeper she was ok.

The trial continues.