Woman acquitted of bashing hubby over romantic text

THE Bulawayo woman who stood accused of striking her husband with an axe and smashing his cellphone following a dispute over a suspicious romantic text message discovered in her cellphone, had every reason to smile when she was acquitted of the charge.

In acquitting her, Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube noted that there was no evidence linking her to the alleged charge of physical abuse.

The magistrate, however, ordered her to pay $20 for damaging her husband's cellphone after having pleaded guilty to a charge of malicious damage to property.

Allegations against Sehliselwe Dube, 38, of Nkulumane suburb were that she attacked her husband, Mbonisi Gwebu, 54, with an axe before smashing a display cupboard in a fit of rage over a suspicious romantic text message that her husband had found in her cellphone.

Prosecuting, Sibekithemba Dube, narrated how on the night of December 7, the couple argued over a text message in Dube's cellphone is resulting in a fist-fight.

"Sehliselwe Dube and Mbonisi Gwebu were sitting in their lounge when the former went outside leaving her cellphone on the table. Gwebu took his wife's cellphone and discovered a suspicious text message, which he then tried to forward to his cellphone. On returning, Sehliselwe discovered that her husband forwarded the message to his cellphone and she then demanded to see Gwebu's cellphone during which an altercation ensued," said the prosecutor.

Sehliselwe snatched Gwebu's cellphone and smashed it against the wall before she went to their bedroom and fished out an axe, which she used to strike her husband on the left hip and he sustained injuries.

The court was told that Sehliselwe damaged a display cupboard before Gwebu managed to disarm her. He reported the matter to the police leading to Sehliselwe's arrest.

She pleaded not guilty to a charge of physical abuse and admitted to that of malicious damage to property.

In mitigation, Sehliselwe, said: "I did not assault my husband and the only reason why he reported me to the police is because he wants to fix me for filing a divorce. He is in the habit of physically abusing me and he is refusing to sign the divorce papers.  However, I do admit that I smashed his cellphone and our display cupboard because I was angry."

In acquitting her, Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube noted that there was no evidence linking her to the alleged charge of physical abuse.