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Gibson Mhaka
A BULAWAYO man is living a “hellish” life at the hands of his abusive wife who is said to be a shebeen queen and allegedly takes pleasure in beating him up.
Raphael Dube from Mzilikazi claimed his alcoholic wife Tapiwa Mhlanga challenges his authority when drunk by frequently beating him up.
Dube, who was seeking a protection order at the Bulawayo Civil Court said whenever he tried to reprimand his wife over her drinking habits and conduct of entertaining a lot of men at home, she turned violent.
Narrating his ordeal, he cited frequent battery and threat to his life as reasons for his prayers for a protection order.
“I am applying for a protection order against my wife Tapiwa Mhlanga and we got married in 2016. She physically abuses me. She also consumes alcohol and unlawfully sells it at our house.
“Whenever I reprimand her about her drinking habits and her conduct of entertaining a lot of men at our house, she becomes violent and insults me. She also tears off my clothes. This happened on several occasions and I have made several reports at Barbourfields Police Station to no avail,” complained Dube.
Dube, who was seemingly sick of living in an abusive marriage, said his wife was also economically abusing him.
“She is also economically abusive as she has been with my bank card for over three years and she doesn’t buy food in the house. I no longer feel safe at home,” he grumbled.
Mhlanga, who was not opposed to her husband’s application instead submitted that he was the one who was the source of their marital disputes because of his infidelity.
“I am not opposed to his application for a protection order but he is the one who is behind the source of our problems. The other time he was working at Turk Mine, he was in the habit of going out with his friends and would switch off his phones. I later discovered that he was having an affair with a neighbour and I saw their pictures in the phone.
“As if that is not enough, I also caught him red-handed naked at Siphiwe Moyo’s house. When I tried to make a report at the police station, they made a counter-one that I had stolen their money amounting to $30. After busting him he approached my parents and asked for forgiveness. I however, forgave him in a bid to save my marriage,” said Mhlanga.
In the interest of peace and order the presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu granted a reciprocal order which compels the couple to keep peace by not verbally and physically abusing each other.
The magistrate also ordered Mhlanga to return her husband’s bank card.
Online Reporter