Couple assaults pregnant daughter-in-law

A CHIKANGA couple who teamed up to assault their son's girlfriend resulting in the four-month pregnant teenager having a miscarriage has been convicted.

Zvetakapuhwa Dani (47) with the aid of her husband Zacchaeus Dani (63) of 843 Chikanga 1 bashed her new daughter-in-law, Fungisai Pazvakavambwa, who had eloped to their son. They pleaded guilty to the assault when they appeared before Mr Poterai Gwezhira who fined them $100 each or 30 days behind bars.

It was the State's case led by Mr Shepherd Chavarika that Pazvakavambwa visited the couple at their Chikanga house with the intention of eloping.

"Zvetakapuhwa suddenly became violent shouting that the pregnancy was not her son's and that Pazvakavambwa would never be her daughter-in-law. Zacchaeus used a stick to assault her on the back as Zvetakapuhwa pushed her to the wall where she landed with her stomach.

"The complainant started bleeding from between her legs and was taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital by wel-wishers where a medical examination conducted by Dr Chizadza revealed that she had miscarried," said Mr Chavarika.

Asked on why they had acted unlawfully, Zvetakapuhwa told the court that her intention was not to inflict pain on the complainant, but to teach her to respect elders if she had intentions of ever being their daughter-in-law.

"She had disrespected us Your Worship and therefore she was due for a small lesson. I am sorry that it turned out badly for all of us," she said.

The complainant wanted to withdraw the matter saying she had forgiven her in-laws, but the court dismissed her application on the basis that there was an element of pressure from the accused persons for her to withdraw the charges.