Woman brutally assaulted over empty sack

Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A 66-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man allegedly attacked his wife with a log and left her for dead when she delayed returning his empty sack.

The woman is recovering at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where she was admitted following the brutal assault on June 11.

Methuseli Khumalo, a gardener at Hillside, appeared yesterday before magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya initially facing a charge of physical abuse.

The court, due to the severe nature of the assault, amended the charge to attempted murder.

The court heard that Khumalo hit his wife Elina Ngwenya (56), a domestic worker in the same suburb, several times on the head with a log until she bled profusely.

Khumalo pleaded guilty and Mr Tashaya remanded him in custody to August 1.

Prosecuting Mr Realy Madzimure said: “On June 11, this year around 6AM at his workplace, Khumalo contacted Ms Ngwenya through the phone informing her to return his empty sack.”

The court heard that, Ms Ngwenya told Khumalo she would bring it later since she was busy at work.

She later went to Khumalo’s workplace where he assaulted her with a log for delaying to bring the sack.

Madzimure said a report was made at Hillside Police Station. Ms Ngwenya was referred to hospital for a medical check-up and was accompanied by her son in-law Thulani Ngwenya.

@MondelaC