adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 31-year-old widow has been sentenced to 105 hours of community service for beating up her neighbour in a bid to discipline her for snatching her boyfriend.
Sithokozile Gumbo of Number 100 Woolendale, Mgadla Village in Matobo District, was convicted on her own plea of guilty to assault by Plumtree magistrate Mr Livard Philemon.
She was sentenced to six months in prison of which three months were suspended for five years on condition that Gumbo does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.
The remaining three months were also suspended on condition she performs 105 hours of community service at Mgadla Primary School.
For the State, Mr Medica Tshuma said on 31 August Gumbo followed the complainant, Ms Siphilisiwe Sibanda (44) of Number 99 Woolendale to the river.
Gumbo who was armed with an electric cord found Ms Sibanda fetching water and accused her of driving her goats into her garden.
They engaged in an argument, which degenerated into a fist fight and Gumbo assaulted the complainant by biting her several times on the face and whipped her with the electric cord.
The complainant reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of Gumbo.
Gumbo told the court that she beat up Ms Sibanda to discipline her as she had snatched her boyfriend from her.
She said her boyfriend had dumped her after confessing that he was now in love with Ms Sibanda.
Gumbo said Ms Sibanda deserved the beating as she had seduced her boyfriend.
In mitigation she pleaded for the court’s leniency, saying she was a widow who had to fend for her five children.
Online Reporter