Man bit wife's finger off after she grabbed his genitals

A Gweru man,arraigned before Gweru magistrate's courts for biting off his wife's finger after a misunderstanding.

Langton Ranjisi '33' , is alleged to have assaulted his wife Mercy Mufunde over excessively high volume on a radio, after Mufunde asked him to reduce the volume

Gweru magistrate Douglas Chikwekwe on Tuesday sentenced Ranjisi to 36 months, but suspended 12 for five years after the accused pleaded guilty on his own plea to domestic violence.

Mufunde's finger had to be amputated after the assault, according to a medical report produced in court as an exhibit.

In coming up with the sentence the magistrate said cases of domestic violence had become prevalent in Gweru, with hardly a day passing by without the courts handling two or more cases.

He said he had considered community service or the option of a fine since the accused was a first offender and family man, but the high prevalence of domestic violence in the city had led him to opt for a more deterrent sentence to send a clear message to perpetrators of domestic violence.

Ranjisi tried to justify his actions saying his wife had grabbed his genitals and the pain he felt made him bite her.

"Your Worship, she grabbed my genitals and the pain was extreme and I had no choice but to bite her so that she could let me go. I became swollen and had to go to hospital after that."

Kudzai Zihove prosecuted.