Abusive hubby smashes fridge with an axe-wielding

A Harare woman yesterday told the court that her abusive husband destroyed their new deep freezer with an axe following a misunderstanding.

Ellen Ziramba said her husband, Paradzai Muchenje, was in the habit of verbally abusing her using obscene words.

This was revealed at the Harare Civil Court where Ziramba was seeking a protection order against Muchenje whom she said physically abused her.

"Each time we encounter a misunderstanding, he doesn't want us to sit down and solve it amicably, but instead he becomes very violent and starts destroying property," she said.

Ziramba claimed Muchenje also often sold family property and abused the proceeds.

"We are having problems because he wants me to stop going to work, yet I am the one who brings food on the table for the whole family since he is unemployed," she said.

Ziramba told Harare magistrate Ms Babra Masinire that she was now living in fear of losing her life because of Muchenje's violent behaviour.

"I want the court to bar him from verbally or physically abusing me because he is breaching my peace," she said.

Muchenje admitted the allegations.

"I am not opposed to her protection order application," he said. "You can go ahead and grant her as she pleases."

Ms Masinire granted the application which barred Muchenje from verbally or physically abusing Ziramba and to keep peace towards her at all times.