Man (62) bashes wife in church

A 62-year-old Bulawayo man abandoned a church service to assault his wife with a stick in the churchyard following a domestic dispute, a magistrate heard.

Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube was told yesterday how on Tuesday, Venson Lubambo of Nketa 9 suburb, flew into a rage and allegedly struck his wife, Jesnara, 57,  with a stick for showing "disrespect" when she followed him to church hoping to resolve an outstanding domestic dispute.

Prosecuting, Frank Ncube narrated how on the fateful day, Venson approached his wife and told her that he intended to sell their matrimonial home, citing domestic squabbles.

"Venson and Jesnara started arguing over the issue of selling their house during which Lubambo out of anger, bolted out of the house and headed to church leaving his wife alone," said Ncube.

The court was told that Jesnara later followed her husband to church hoping that he had cooled down so that they could re-engage each other over their dispute.

On seeing his wife entering the church building, Venson quickly beckoned her to follow him outside.
The court was told that while outside, Jesnara tried to persuade her husband to rescind the decision to sell their house and resolve their domestic feud.

Venson would have none of it and the couple started arguing. In the process, he picked up a stick and struck his wife all over the body several times and she sustained bruises, the court heard.

A report was made to police leading to Lubambo's arrest.

Venson is facing a physical abuse charge, which he denies.  The magistrate remanded him out of custody to today for trial.