Hubby brags about ‘infecting’ wife with HIV

Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO woman has dragged her husband to court alleging he was physically and verbally abusing her and bragging about having “infected” her with HIV.Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube heard how Calvin Musariri, 32, of Nkulumane 5 suburb would physically abuse his wife, Monica Mkandla, 28, and boasting of having infected her with HIV.

Mkandla told the court that her husband was in the habit of assaulting her and insulting her using vulgar language in front of their children.

“I am applying for a protection order against my husband, Calvin Musariri. He always beats me up whenever he comes home drunk. At one time he brutally assaulted me during the night and I had to storm out of the house naked and rushed to hospital for treatment. He has stopped paying school fees for our children.

“Recently he confronted me boasting around, saying he doesn’t stay with a woman for more than two years as he is in the  habit of infecting them with HIV. Wangitshela ukuthi wangithelela umkhuhlane wama bhiza ongelaphekiyo from Congo,” said Mkandla.

“He is so violent and I am now living in fear of this man who has turned into a monster.  He lost his cellphone in a pub and later on confronted me accusing me of having stolen it. He then took my cellphone and whenever my male relatives call me, he assaults me accusing me of being a prostitute.”

Musariri admitted that he was in the habit of assaulting his wife. He, however, argued that he was forced to act in that manner because the applicant refused to wash his clothes as well as cook for him.

“Your Worship, my wife is also violent and cheeky. She always insults me whenever I ask for food or demand an explanation on why she excludes my clothes when doing her laundry.

“She is lying that I infected her with HIV. In fact when we both went for an HIV test in 2010, our results came out positive and hence there is no proof that I infected her with the virus,” said Musariri.

The magistrate granted Mkandla an interim protection order against her  husband.
“You are not supposed to physically or verbally abuse your wife. Your wife has a swollen face and that tells it all. I am therefore granting the applicant a protection order and should you breach that order she should report the matter to the police and you will be sent to jail,” ruled Dube.