adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 71-YEAR-OLD polygamist wife beater was told to “grow up” by a magistrate yesterday. Mr Viniga Tshuma hit his wife, Ms Grace Mathe (56), with a chair and punched her several times in full view of their children, Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa was told.Mr Tshuma, of Hingwe in Bulilima District, flew into a rage after accusing his wife of being “stingy” with food.
At the height of the assault, which happened in full view of their children, Mr Tshuma called his wife unprintable names, including telling her that her mother’s sexual organs were rotten.
Passing sentence after Mr Tshuma’s guilty plea to a charge of assault, Mr Ruvetsa said he was minded to send him to jail, but his advanced age was his saving grace.
The magistrate said Mr Tshuma had “failed to be exemplary before his family and society.”
“Your actions were childish for a man your age. You must grow up,” chided Mr Ruvetsa.
He sentenced Mr Tshuma to perform 105 hours of community service at Ndolwane Primary School after conditionally setting aside a six-month jail sentence.
Prosecuting, Mr Paul Mpofu narrated how Mr Tshuma arrived home shortly after 7pm on 16 November and picked up a fight with his wife.
“He picked up a chair and hit his wife twice on the back. He was stopped by his youngest wife who got hold of the chair,” said Mr Mpofu.
“Mr Tshuma proceeded to insult his wife and went on to punch her several times in the face.”
In her statement read in court, Ms Mathe said: “My husband came home for supper from his second wife’s home in the evening. He found me in the company of my two children.
“I served him his food and he questioned why the children were not eating. I tried explaining that they were yet to have their meal but he did not understand.
“He went berserk and started accusing me of being stingy and he threw a lump of isitshwala at my face. He called his youngest wife to our home and started accusing me of depriving the children of his youngest wife food.”
Online Reporter