Woman bashed over son's indiscipline

A BULAWAYO man was arrested after severely assaulting his wife with a log, plank and fists claiming she was the source of their son's indiscipline.

Polite Sibanda (28) pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge laid against him when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Willard Maphios Moyo.

Sibanda was convicted on his own plea of guilty and was given a suspended sentence.

"You are a first offender who did not waste the court's time and pleaded guilty to the charge that was laid against you.
"Cases of domestic violence are prevalent these days, therefore passing of the sentence is postponed for five years on condition you do not commit a similar offence within that period," said the magistrate.

In mitigation, Sibanda told the court that a misunderstanding had arose between him and his wife over a broken mobile phone.

"Your Worship I accidentally dropped her phone and broke it but had promised to take it for repair but instead she started insulting me so I ended up assaulting her."

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza told the court that on 26 April Saziso Sibanda was at their place of residence in Robert Sinyoka.

The court heard that Polite came home from a beer garden in Old Pumula.

Mageza told the court that Polite who was drunk found his wife asleep.

"When he got into the house, their son Wellington Sibanda was still awake and Saziso ordered him to prepare food for his father," said Mageza.

He told the court that Polite accused his wife of not teaching their children good manners.

Polite, the court heard assaulted his wife with a log, plank and fists and she sustained bruises all over the body.

The court heard that the man also assaulted his son claiming he lacked discipline.