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Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Weekender Reporter
After exchanging nasty words with her cousin’s wife, a Mutare woman got a thorough bashing, resulting in her trying to get a protection order from the courts.
Anesu Muungani recently appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Xavier Chipato, applying for a protection order against her cousin, Maxwell Muungani.
Anesu said she wanted her cousin to vacate her parents’ home as he is constantly abusing her.
“When I separated with my husband I had nowhere else to go, but to my late parents’ homestead. Upon their death, there was noone to look after the property and my aunts asked my cousin to move in there so that he could maintain the property.
“However, now that I am back, he should move out. They always shun me, saying I am a returning soldier, therefore I have no place at the homestead. His father has his own homestead and he should move there,” said Anesu.
She said Maxwell teamed up with his wife to demolish her late mother’s kitchen hut and built another one.
“Maxwell demolished my late mother’s kitchen hut and built another one which he is now using with his wife. They did not consult me before demolishing the kitchen. When I try to use their kitchen hut, they chase me away. They physically attacked me.
“He claims that the homestead now belongs to him and his family since as a woman I have no right to inherit my late parents’ estate. His wife and son also assaulted me, saying that I should go back to my husband’s place, yet I left my marriage following irreconcilable differences,” said Anesu.
She also said she had reported the issue to the village head, but Maxwell always defaults the hearings.
Maxwell said the homestead belonged to his late grandfather and therefore he is also entitled to a share of the property.
“The land belonged to our late grandfather. He divided the land among his sons. However, when Anesu’s father died, the family said it officially belonged to me since I am a man and Anesu was married by then.
“She came back in January and we co-existed until she started bad-mouthing my wife. I never fought her or said anything to her, but she is always at loggerheads with my wife. It is our family home and she can also stay there as much as she wants and I do not have a problem with that,” he said.
Maxwell acknowledged that Anesu was once assaulted by his wife and son.
“She came and sat in the kitchen and told my wife that she had to move out because the kitchen hut belonged to her late mother.
“I had to leave because I do not like fighting with family members. My son could not stomach the insults and beat her up. He strangled her while my wife was holding her hands. I only came in to stop the fight and did not assault her,” said Maxwell.
Mr Chipato therefore dismissed Anesu’s application saying the people who were disturbing her peace were not before the court.
The matter was referred to Chief Marange’s court.
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