Balenga Kalala, from Melbourne, Australia, paid hitmen $7,000 to abduct his wife, Noela Rukundo, on a visit to Burundi.

However, she was released by her kidnappers with receipts for the blood money because they would not kill a woman, The Age reported in November.

Ms Rukundo has now told the BBC World Service’s Outlook programme her story.

She had been spared by her captors in Burundi who said they would not kill women or children. With the help of her pastor in Australia she made a return to the country, arriving at her house as the last of the mourners were leaving.

She said: “When I get out of the car, he saw me straight away. He put his hands on his head and said, ‘Is it my eyes? Is it a ghost?’”

“Surprise! I’m still alive!” she replied.

“I was stood just looking at him. He was scared, he didn’t believe it. Then he starts walking towards me, slowly, like he was walking on broken glass.

“He kept talking to himself and when he reached me, he touched me on the shoulder. He jumped.

“He did it again. He jumped. Then he said, ‘Noela, is it you?’… Then he start screaming, ‘I’m sorry for everything.’”

Mr Kalala was eventually arrested and made a full confession, explaining he thought his wife wanted to leave him – an accusation she rejected.

He was sentenced to nine years in prison in court in Melbourne after pleading guilty to incitement to murder.