Online Reporter
Anotida Chonzi
Herald Reporter
TWO Harare women were on Tuesday granted a reciprocal protection order after they traded accusations of physical and emotional abuse at the Harare Civil Court.
Harare Civil Court magistrate, Ms Johanna Mukwesha, issued the reciprocal order to Locadia Rugara and her boss’s daughter Sylin Mbeva.
Rugara had dragged Mbeva to court, alleging that she had been subjecting her and her three-year-old son to physical and verbal abuse.
Rugara, who is employed as a maid by the respondent’s father, accused her of breaking into her room and hurling insults.
“My son is still young and sometimes when he cries, she barges into my room without knocking and attacks us, accusing us of making noise,’’ she said.
She told the court that Mbeva had tried to convince her father to fire her, saying that she was not smart.
“She wants to get rid of me, she just hates me to the point of calling me a witch and right now she is trying to convince her father, my boss, to fire me, saying I am filthy,’’ she said.
Rugara told the court that Mbeva always makes her working environment hostile.
“I constantly clean up after Mbeva, because she deliberately makes a mess to provoke me and to force me to quit,’’ she said.
She asked the court to order Mbeva to stop harassing her and her son.
In response, Mbeva denied assaulting the complainant and her son, claiming that Rugara disrespects her and calls her a prostitute.
“She calls me a prostitute and is always telling my father lies that I bring boyfriends home,” she said.
“She sometimes provokes me to the extent that I end up calling her a witch. I am also in need of protection from her because she provokes me.”
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Mukwesha granted a reciprocal protection order, restraining both parties from engaging in any form of harassment or physical violence towards each other, for the next five years.
