Knife-wielding hubby bashes wife over infidelity claims

A WOMAN fled her home undressed after being blinded by her knife-wielding husband who accused her of infidelity, a court heard.

Doctors have told Miss Siphathisiwe Sibanda (22) that she may never fully regain her eyesight after the savage beating on the night of 16 November.

On Monday, Miss Sibanda had to be assisted by court officials to navigate her way to the witness stand at the Western Commonage Magistrates' Court as her boyfriend, Mr Dennis Ngulube, (31), was charged with physical abuse under the Domestic Violence Act.

Magistrate Mr Willard Maphios Moyo heard how Ngulube, of New Luveve suburb, arrived home from Plumtree shortly after 10pm with his fingers blood-stained.

Prosecuting, Mr Tatenda Dakwa, told the court: "When his wife asked why he had blood stains on his fingers, Ngulube did not respond and instead demanded to see his wife's cellphone during which an altercation ensued."

Mr Ngulube, the court heard, accused his wife of seeing another man.

As the row degenerated, said Mr Dakwa, Mr Ngulube began punching his wife while threatening to slice her throat with the knife. Miss Sibanda, the court heard, dropped her cellphone and stormed out of their bedroom in just her panties and sought refuge at her sister-in-law's house in the same neighbourhood.

Mr Ngulube, who was armed with an Okapi knife, chased after his wife and continued punching her all over the body and face.

"He continuously punched me for close to an hour with his fists and I sustained swollen eyes and bruises on my face and hands. At one time he tried to stab me with a knife but luckily my sister-in-law blocked him," Miss Sibanda told the court as she took the witness stand.

Her ordeal ended only when police officers patrolling the area came to her rescue and arrested Mr Ngulube. She admitted that her husband had earlier intercepted a Whatsapp message from a "male friend".

But she denied dating the man at the centre of controversy, arguing that they were just friends.

Mr Ngulube pleaded guilty to the crime, telling the magistrate: "Nkosi icala leli engiletheswayo ngiyalivuma. Umamangala ngamtshaya ngezandla ngoba useleyinye indoda (Your Worship, I do admit that I assaulted the complainant with my hands because she was seeing another man)."

The magistrate postponed sentencing, saying he was waiting for a medical report. Mr Ngulube was remanded out of custody to 26 November on $100 bail.