Woman flees home after hubby applies traditional herbal cream on her privates

A woman told the Harare Civil Court last week that she had run away from her matrimonial home because her jealous husband was in the habit of applying an unknown traditional herbal cream on her private parts to prevent her from sleeping with other men.

Netsai Zenge told magistrate Ms Babra Masinire that her husband, Tawanda January, also threatened use muti that would make he menstruate continuously if she cheated on him.

Zenge was seeking a protection order against January whom she said was in the habit of physically and verbally abusing her.

"I had to run away from our matrimonial house because he was in the habit of applying an unknown traditional cream on my private parts without telling me how it was going to work on me," she said.

Zenge told Ms Masinire that January abused her verbally and physically.

"This man is very violent, My Lord," she said. "Last month he burnt all my clothes after a misunderstanding."

January admitted to the allegations levelled against him by Zenge but said the herbal cream he used to apply on his wife was fake.

"I cannot deny applying the cream on her private parts, but the cream was fake," he said. "I started applying the cream on her when I became suspicious of her movements."

January said he did this to scare her so that she would not sleep around.

Magistrate Masinire granted the protection order which bars January from physically or verbally abusing Zenge and ordered them to observe peace towards each other.