Wife suffers miscarriage after a bashing

A Harare man allegedly assaulted his wife resulting in her suffering a miscarriage, the Harare Civil Court heard on Wednesday.

Rejoice Dzafunwa claimed she decided not to report Edward Makaza to the police to save her marriage.

Dzafunwa was seeking a protection order against Makaza whom she was accusing of being in the habit of physically and verbally abusing her.

"I lost my five-month-old pregnancy after he physically abused me, but I decided not to report him to the police because I didn't want him to be arrested," she said.

Dzafunwa told magistrate Ms Audrey Tarugarira that Makaza was in the habit of locking her and their son outside the house at night.

"Whenever he comes home drunk, he verbally and physically abuses me," she said.

"He is also in the habit of forcing our son to sleep on the floor."

Dzafunwa pleaded with the court to grant her application, saying she had endured a lot of suffering at the hands of Makaza.

"I ran away from home a few months ago after he attempted to set me and our son ablaze in the house," she said.

Makaza denied the allegations.