Dad teams up with daughter to axe son-in-law

A 58-year-old Lalapanzi man teamed up with his daughter to attack her husband with an axe following a misunderstanding.

Tavona Chimbochashe of Utah Village in Lalapanzi appeared before Gweru Magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda facing one count of assault.

The magistrate did not ask Chimbochashe to plead and remanded him in custody to today for trial.

Prosecuting, Lloyd Mavhisa told the court that on March 15 at around 9PM, Anyway Mutsvotsvi who is Chimbochashe's son-in-law went to his father-in-law's homestead to visit his wife Runesu Mubatsiri.

The court heard that Mubatsiri had deserted her husband, leaving him to look after their two months old baby.

"Mutsvotsvi wanted his wife to breast feed the baby," the court heard.

"He tried to convince his wife to return home but she said he must first pay her father some money."

The court heard that there was a scuffle as Mubatsiri was refusing to leave with Mutsvotsvi.

"Mubatsiri, who is still at large, grabbed Mutsvotsvi from behind and held him by the neck causing him to fall onto the ground. Chimbochashe took an axe and struck Mutsvotsvi once on the left leg," said Mavhisa.

The court heard that another man, a fellow villager, known as Chibvarure, who is also still at large, also kicked the complainant.
Mutsvotsvi sustained a deep cut on the left leg and is still in hospital.

The name of the hospital was not mentioned in court.

A report was made to the police leading to Chimbochashe's arrest.