Online Reporter
Fidelis Chavarike
Post Reporter
A MARANGE woman, Thulisani Ndlovu, has approached the Mutare Civil Courts, seeking a protection order against her husband, Innocent Mashiri, whom she accuses of assault, insult, and chasing her away from their marital home.
The couple appeared before Mutare magistrate Xavier Chipato, with Ndlovu alleging that the conflict began on July 9 when her husband returned from work in Sakubva and discovered she had sold their household refrigerator.
‘‘He failed to pay the US$150 school fees for our child, sending only US$40. The child was being chased away from school, and with end-of-term exams looming, I decided to sell the fridge to cover the arrears. When he returned from work, I tried to talk to him, but he beat me, dragged me outside, and left me injured. I was hospitalized for a week,’’ said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu further alleged that her husband chased away her parents when they visited to reprimand him.
‘‘After the assault, I stayed at our house for two days before going to my parents’ homestead, hoping he would change. However, he started shouting at me, accusing me of having an extramarital affair and claiming that is why I was selling household property. On the day I left, he choked me, saying he wanted to kill me.
I managed to escape. When my parents came to resolve the matter, he chased them away,’’ she added.
Mashiri denied the allegations, claiming he was not present on the day in question and had only recently returned home to pay respects to a deceased colleague.
‘‘I did not beat her. I was surprised to be summoned to the police station over assault allegations. I work at Pungwe Breweries and stay in Sakubva, while she lives at our rural home. I only visited recently to offer condolences to my friend’s family,’’ he said.
Mashiri further defended himself, stating that Ndlovu had a history of selling household property.
“She has been selling everything under the pretext of providing for the family.
She sold a complete toolbox, two fences and other items. She fabricated this story because there is a pending case at Chief Marange’s court regarding her infidelity. She took all the money we earned from selling tobacco and spent it with her boyfriend. This has been going on for a year. I even informed her brother about what she was doing,” he said.
Regarding the claim that he chased away her parents, Mashiri argued that they came on July 4, not the day Ndlovu mentioned, and that they had come to collect a debt both he and Ndlovu owed.
The court called Ndlovu, Thulisani’s mother, to testify as Mashiri had referenced her in his defence. She stated that she saw her daughter return home with bruises, crying and saying she had been beaten by her husband.
“Thulisani came back crying and said she had been hospitalized. My husband and I went to their marital home, which is in the next village, but Mashiri chased us away. He shouted at us and didn’t give us a warm welcome. Before that, their 19-year-old child had called us crying, saying their mother had been choked by him and she had run away. He didn’t even visit or check on her while she was in the hospital,” said Ndlovu.
Magistrate Chipato granted the protection order in favour of Thulisani.
“This court hereby grants a protection order in favour of Thulisani Ndlovu, effective for a period of five years. The respondent is prohibited from insulting, assaulting or threatening the applicant in any manner,” he said.
Mathew Masinge