Filabusi woman (62) survives axe attack by ex husband

A 62-year-old wife survived death by a whisker after she was axed on the head by her former husband, a well-known Filabusi businessman, who was later given a community service sentence for the attack.

Lewis Mangena (64), who runs a fleet of shops in Filabusi Business Centre and also owns some trucks which he hires out, never carried out his sentence at Knocknara Primary School in Filabusi.

Lewis axed Peggy, his wife of 45 years and the matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest and eventual appearance at the Filabusi magistrate court where he was remanded in custody before he applied for out-of-custody bail which he was granted by magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele.

When he next appeared in court for sentence, another magistrate Ms Lerato Nyathi presided over the case and sentenced him to five months of community service for ‘assault.’

Reasons for the community service sentence, which the complainant says was a shock to her considering the gravity of the axing, could not be availed as efforts to get the judgement document, under case number FIL505/23, were in vain after the sentencing magistrate, a Ms Nyathi and her boss, Matabeleland South provincial magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa were not cooperating when requested for the docket.

According to Peggy, who is still receiving medical attention from the injuries, her husband attacked her after she asked him about his alleged amorous relationship with a tenant in one of their shops, one Melanie Sithole.

“He would go for three days without coming home and I would just keep quiet for the sake of peace but as it continued I decided to ask him, especially since he was no longer buying necessities at home,” said Peggy.

The confrontation never went well with Lewis who again disappeared only to come back after two days.

“I was alone at home and I heard him saying namhla ngizabulala umuntu. I decided to come out of the house only to bump into him brandishing an axe right at the door. As I turned back he struck me on the head twice and I fell down,” she said.

Lewis and Melanie denied that they were in a sexual relationship, claiming theirs was a professional relationship, that of a landlord and a tenant.

In a cocktail of accusations against his wife, Lewis claimed that a Filabusi magistrate was behind his marital problems as he would ‘organise’ boyfriends for his elderly wife.

“It was in fact her who wanted to axe me but I ducked the axe and as I was wrestling it from her, she was accidentally ‘scratched’ by the axe handle on the left side of her head,” said Lewis.

Peggy, who described the infidelity allegations against her as shocking, has since applied for a maintenance order against her husband pending finalisation of their divorce case which has been initiated by the husband.

“I have been abused, humiliated and now almost killed by a man who fathered my children and that I stayed with for 45 years. I have no source of income besides the business that we were running together but since he has chosen to divorce me after his savage attack, I was left with no option but to approach the courts for maintenance,” said Peggy.