British woman, 74, beaten to death in Zimbabwe as country slides into lawlessness



As Mary Austen becomes another white farmer to be murdered in Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe speaks at a UN conference blaming foreign nations for his country's problems

A British woman, 74, has been beaten to death and her husband left in a critical condition after a violent attack on the couple's farm in Zimbabwe.

The body of Mary Austen was discovered two days after she was murdered in Kwekwe, in the country's centre.

Her husband Neville, a 77-year-old Zimbabwean was found unable to move or speak.

Police told The Times that when they arrived at the scene of horror, they found furniture strewn all over the house after a struggle between the Austens and their attackers.

Mary died from numerous head injuries.

A neighbour, who knew her well, described the attack as 'really brutal'.

'She was absolutely bludgeoned to death,' the neighbour told The Times.

'She was a nice old lady who grew vegetables and maize for domestic consumption on a small farm.'

White Zimbabwean farmers have described the latest killing as a sign of the country descending into a 'Wild West' state where hunger and ill-health are rife.

They believe it is simply part of a campaign to hand their farms to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's cronies.

Meanwhile, at a U.N aid summit in Qatar's capital over the weekend, Mr Mugabe blamed foreign governments for bringing his country to the verge of financial ruin through their efforts to end his rule.

He said economic sanctions should be lifted so the government could turn around the African state's economic woes.

'Zimbabwe has been and continues to be a victim of unilateral and illegal coercive measures, aimed at undermining the government through regime change which is illegal,' he said.

Food crisis: Many rural people in Zimbabwe are now resorting to selling wild fruits to earn a living and make ends meet

Mr Mugabe, who has ruled for 25 years, said it was impossible for Zimbabwe to hit global goals for reducing poverty because of the impact of the sanctions.

Inflation in Zimbabwe is officially over 230 million per cent, the country facing food shortages.

Critics have accused Mr Mugabe of destroying one of Africa's most promising economies with controversial policies, including seizures of white-owned farms for redistribution.

Mugabe has clung to power for years despite a worsening political and economic crisis.



He and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed to a power-sharing deal this year but they have failed to break a deadlock over the makeup of the new government.





