Langa Mabena
Gibson Mhaka
WHEN men become consumed by jealousy, they may resort to controlling their partners’ social interactions, limiting their freedom, and even resorting to violence.
In a fit of jealousy, a 37-year-old man from Mhuke Village in Madlambuzi area, Matabeleland South Province, allegedly brutally assaulted his wife with an electric cable, leaving her with injuries all over her body, as punishment for giving a fellow villager some water to drink.
Suspecting the fellow villager who came during his absence might be his wife Thubelihle Ndebele’s lover, Thandanani Dube ran berserk and brutally assaulted her.
It is reported that on 21 October 2024 at around 8am Dube went to the fields, leaving his wife at their homestead.
During his absence, a local villager came to their homestead and asked for some water to drink, which his wife provided.
It was proven that on the same day, around 8pm, Dube, who had returned home, seemed to have heard that a fellow villager had been spotted at his homestead.
He then questioned his wife about who had visited during his absence. She told him that a local villager came asking for some water to drink, and she gave her.
Driven by unfounded jealousy, a misunderstanding arose between the two parties.
At the height of the misunderstanding Dube then hit his wife with an electric cable several times all over the body.
His wife suffered swollen wounds as a result of the assault and she was referred to Plumtree District Hospital for medical attention.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Dube’s arrest and subsequent appearance in court charged with physical abuse as defined in Section 3 (1) (a) as read with Section 4 of the Domestic Violence Act Chapter 5:16.
Dube pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment of which six months were suspended for five years, on condition that he does not commit any offence involving physical abuse within that period, for which he would be sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine.
The remaining 12 months of imprisonment were suspended on condition that he completes 420 hours of unpaid labour at Mhuke Primary School, with effect from 6 November and complete it within 12 weeks.
Online Reporter