‘Barren’ wife basher spared jail

Court Reporter
A COACH for a Division Two Football Club in Hwange drunkenly attacked his wife after accusing her of failing to bear him children, a court heard yesterday. Hwange provincial magistrate Mrs Rose Dube heard this when Patrick Ngoma (42), who coaches Baobab Rovers, appeared before her facing an assault charge.

The football instructor left the court baffled whether he was of sound mind when his wife, Ms Hoyani Mbedzi (34), told the court that she was two months pregnant and that her husband was responsible.

“I’m two months pregnant and want to withdraw charges. I was also violent towards him,” said Ms Mbedzi.
Ngoma pleaded guilty to physical abuse but was spared the agony of jail term when Ms Mbedzi tendered an affidavit to withdraw charges.

However, the magistrate refused to throw out the case entirely and suspended passing sentence for three years.
The magistrate told Ngoma: “Why do you beat a pregnant woman? You’re a disappointment. So now who can’t bear a child, you or her because she has other children?

“Do you know what has saved you? It’s your wife who has tendered a withdrawal affidavit.
“Passing of sentence is postponed for three years on condition that you do not commit any offence involving physical abuse. However, if you assault anyone within that period, you will first be sentenced on this case before the particular one is dealt with.”

Ngoma drew laughter from the gallery when he told the court that he loves his wife, adding that he had stopped drinking beer on the day he beat her.

“I love my wife. I have learnt a lesson. I stopped drinking beer the following day. On that day it was the devil that drove me to beat her,” he said, much to the amusement of the court.

The couple resides at 254 Empumalanga and Ngoma is employed by Makomo Resources.
Prosecuting, Mr Tongai Gudo told the court that on 6 November at about 11pm, Ngoma arrived home drunk and started shouting at his wife, saying she was failing to bear children for him.

Mr Gudo said Ngoma slapped his wife on the cheek and she fell down.
He went on to grab her hands from behind and sat on her back with her face down.

She was treated at St Patrick’s Hospital for bruising and discharged.
Taking the stand in his defence, Ngoma told the court that the matter was a trivial domestic issue.

He begged the court’s mercy, saying he loved his wife and was taking care of the woman, her two children and his elderly mother.