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Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A CHIMANIMANI woman is accusing her husband of hiding her family planning contraceptive pills, sexually abusing and tricking her into having eight children in the 20 years of their marriage.
The couple recently appeared before Acting Chief Saurombe who reprimanded the man for being abusive.
This was after Norah Mutsakara had told the court that she was treated like a slave and prisoner, while enduring untold abuses during the tenure of her marriage to Shupikai Manigu.
This came to light after Manigu dragged Colin Mutsakara to the community court, accusing him of snatching his wife.
However, during the court proceedings, it was revealed that Colin and Norah were cousins and the former had helped his sister to escape the “marriage prison”.
“I no longer love this man. He is a devil. For the past 22 years my life was a living hell. He assaulted and abused me as he pleases. It seems as if he was obsessed in seeing me pregnant.
“As soon as I gave birth, he would hide my contraceptive pills and force me to be intimate with him. This is how I ended up with eight children against my will,” explained the woman.
She showed the court scars and deep wounds which she alleged were a result of Manigu’s endless bashings.
“I would lie to people in the area that I sustained the injuries after falling down. I was doing this to cover up my family problems.
“I have endured enough and decided to let the cat out of the bag,” cried the woman.
She said after realising that she would die at the hands of Manigu, she turned to Colin’s for assistance.
“That is how I ended up staying with Colin. He is catering for all my needs. He has also promised to enrol my children in school. I no longer want anything to do with Manigu ever again. I would rather die single than go back to his hell. This man wanted to kill me,” she said.
Norah handed Manigu a US$1 divorce token during the court session.
“He had previously refused to accept it, so we thought that it will be wise to give it to him before this court,” said Norah.
The couple’s son, Nomore Manigu, however, begged Acting Chief Saurombe to order his mother to go back home with their father.
“You should help us. I had a hard life growing up with these two. They were always fighting, but I do not want to point fingers on who would start the fights.
“My mother should be forced to go back to my father. I do not think her so-called cousin will be able to look after my young siblings and take them to school. Even if I have the money for their school fees, I do not think that I will chip in while they are staying at that man’s home,” he said much to the court’s amazement.
Acting Chief Saurombe, however, advised the 22-year-old not to take sides in his parents’ fights.
“Your mother was in prison while staying with your father. You are aware of the endless abuses she suffered, but you want her to be dragged back to that prison.
“She was assaulted in your presence and she has scars to prove it. Your own wife is not at peace with your father as has been alluded in this court, yet you still feel that your father is innocent.
“You saw your mother crying here, narrating how she was abused in the bedroom and outside the bedroom, but you still have the guts to open your mouth and side with your father.
“You should be ashamed of yourself because you are not building, but destroying. Never take sides when it comes to your parents, they are both equal,” said Acting Chief Saurombe.
However, all this fell on deaf ears as Nomore insisted that it was his mother who was the trouble-causer.
He exchanged harsh words with his mother.
This resulted in Nomore being convicted of contempt of court and fined US$20.
The matter was adjourned to January 7.
Acting Chief Saurombe ordered Manigu to pay Norah’s outstanding lobola and US$50 as his in-laws’ transport costs.
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