Woman kills abusive husband

Lovemore Kadzura
A Mutasa woman who caused the death of her abusive husband by hitting him with a brick on the head will perform community service after a Rusape court spared her from going to jail. Cathrine Manesa (38) of Mukoyi Village in Mutasa was not represented and pleaded guilty for causing the death of her husband Newton Sagumbo (52)

Manesa had been sentenced to three years in prison by Rusape regional magistrate, Mr Livingstone Chipadza. One year of the sentence was suspended on condition of good behavior while the remaining two were commuted to 630 hours of community service.

The woman told the court that she had a torrid time with her abusive husband who will from time to time assault her accusing her of being a prostitute. Rusape Area Prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, told the court that Manesa, after enduring some assaults from her drunken husband, hit him with a brick. He died 10 days later.

“On 27 January 2015 around 1pm Manesa left her husband Sagumbo at their homestead and went to a nearby river to wash clothes. She also had her hair braided and plaited. She went back home and found her husband away. During the night Sagumbo arrived home drunk.

“He asked his wife where she had gone during the day and why she had her hair plaited without his knowledge. Sagumbo became angry accusing her of being a prostitute. He then grabbed the accused’s weaved dreads.”

Manesa managed to escape but Sagumbo gave chase. Sagumbo’s brother, Raymond, intervened and calmed his brother. He then ordered Manesa to accompany him and sleep at his homestead since the deceased was drunk and violent. “Manesa collected her four year old child but her husband heavily assaulted her. She retaliated by pushing Sagumbo away. She then picked a brick and threw it towards Sagumbo. It hit on the head.

“She went away. Relatives and nieghbours later found Sagumbo seated on his bed in the bedroom bleeding from the head.