adminAndile Tshuma Court Reporter
A ZIMBABWE National Army officer has been arraigned for stabbing his wife after a fight over infidelity. Mehluli Maseko (36), a Corporal at Field Regiment based in Mt Darwin, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube initially charged with domestic violence. The charge has since been altered to attempted murder owing to his wife’s deteriorating condition.
Maseko pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody pending a medical report. He allegedly stabbed his 23-year-old wife, Ms Sithobekile Ngwenya, with a kitchen knife. For the State, Mr Mufaro Mageza said: “On September 5 at around 10PM, the complainant got home and the accused started accusing her of infidelity.”
Maseko allegedly started throwing out Ngwenya’s clothes and she attempted to enter the spare bedroom.
“A misunderstanding erupted and the accused person took a kitchen knife and stabbed her once in the stomach. The complainant tried to block the knife when Maseko intended to stab her for the second time. However, she was stabbed on the right palm,” said Mr Mageza.
He said Maseko accidentally stabbed himself on the right knee. Mr Mageza said Ms Ngwenya sustained serious injuries and was ferried to hospital in an ambulance. He said a medical report is not yet out as the complainant is still admitted in hospital.
Maseko later handed himself over to the police. In a warned and cautioned statement, Ms Ngwenya denied having a lover and said she had been with her husband’s sister. “I do not know what he was talking about. I was with aunt ( Maseko’s sister), and he did not want to hear that or believe it. I had spent the day with his sister,” she said. — @andile_tshuma
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu