Policeman gets protection order reprieve

A POLICE officer based in Plumtree has been granted a protection order against his abusive ex-wife whom he accuses of being in the habit of threatening him and his family.

Narrating his ordeal before Plumtree magistrate Mr Joshua Mawere last week, Constable Cephas Mukuma who is stationed at Maitengwe Border Police Post said Edline Phiri frequently called him and his wife insulting and threatening them.

"My ex-wife uses our children as an excuse to call me and from there she starts insulting me and my wife and threatening us.

She recently called my wife and told her that we had to go for an HIV test as there was a high possibility that we were HIV positive. She sometimes calls me in the middle of the night accusing me of neglecting our children just to pick a fight with me," he said.

Cst Mukuma said Phiri's interference was causing emotional and psychological trauma to him and his family. Phiri told the court that she was insulting her ex-husband as he was also doing the same to her. She said each time she called her husband when their children were ill he would insult her and accuse her of causing their children's illness.

"I do insult and threaten him Your Worship but it's because he also does the same to me. I don't know whether I'm prohibited from calling him to discuss our children's welfare because each time I call him he goes on to insult me."

Cst Mukuma and Phiri were customarily married and they have two children. Phiri recently dragged her ex-husband to court over maintenance of their children. Mr Mawere granted Cst Mukuma's request and ordered Phiri to desist from insulting, pestering, intimidating and threatening her ex-husband. He also urged Cst Mukuma and Phiri to prioritise the welfare of their children over their personal grudges.