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Gibson Mhaka
A Bulawayo woman recounted a harrowing tale of abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband who is sleeping with an axe under his pillow and threatens to bring it down on her head whenever they have a misunderstanding.
A nervous Hloniphani Moyo from Lockview who is literally now sleeping with one of her eyes open in fear of her violent husband Malaki Nyathi, said he nearly lived true to his creepy threats of decapitating her when he once struck her with the back of the axe.
The chilling account and Moyo’s one-eyed sleep was revealed at the Bulawayo Civil Court where she was seeking a protection order against Nyathi.
“I am the complainant in this matter and the respondent is Malaki Nyathi. We have been living together as husband and wife since 2014. However, my husband is physically and verbally abusive. He beats me up with fists, open hands and electric cords.
“The recent incident of abuse was on 18 July when he kicked me and struck me with the back of an axe and I had to seek refuge from our neighbour.
“I am now living in fear after he threatened to kill me as he also now sleeps with an axe hidden under the pillow. He is always threatening to strike me with it whenever we have a misunderstanding and I am no longer sure of what might happen next,” a trembling Moyo said.
She further said Nyathi was also disposing of her property without her consent.
Nyathi, who refuted the physical abuse accusations, said Moyo was also verbally abusing him.
“It is not true that I am physically abusing her but verbally yes. At times we both exchange harsh words after a misunderstanding,” responded Nyathi.
In her ruling the presiding magistrate Adelaide Mbeure ordered Nyathi not to verbally and physically abuse his wife or threaten her in any way.
She also ordered him not to dispose of their matrimonial property without his wife’s consent.
Online Reporter