Man assaults wife over meat

A man from Kariangwe area ran riot and seriously assaulted his wife, after she delayed cooking supper for him.

Amos Mudenda (29) on Monday pleaded guilty to an assault charge when he appeared before Binga resident magistrate Stephen Ndlovu.

The magistrate convicted and sentenced him to three months in jail, wholly suspended on condition he performs 105 hours of community service at Siansali Primary School starting on September 16.

Prosecutor Bruce Maphosa told the court that on August 31 at 7pm, Mudenda arrived home from a beer drink and picked a quarrel with his wife, Tawo Zulu, over why she had delayed making supper for him.

Following the quarrel, Mudenda pounded his wife with clenched fists seriously assaulting her in the process.

The wife reported the matter to the police leading to Mudenda's arrest.

Testifying in court, Zulu stunned the court when she said her husband was greedy and always ate meat he brought, alone.

"I am in serious trouble," she testified.

"He is greedy, he does not give me, our daughter and my father meat.

"He always eats the meat alone. He tells me to prepare six pieces of meat each time he brings meat home and eats all the pieces until the meat is finished.

"We never eat meat at home. He is the only one who eats it."

The court heard that on the fateful day, Mudenda had brought beef which he had found in the bush after a cow had been killed by lions.

In sentencing him, the magistrate told him that he must stop being selfish.

"You should learn to share that meat with your family. As a father, you have to take care of your family," the magistrate said.