Man acquitted after axing wife on the head

A 65-year-old woman from Filabusi, Matabeleland South, has lodged a formal complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), accusing the Filabusi and Esigodini Magistrates' Courts of mishandling multiple legal cases involving her estranged husband, a prominent local businessman.

Peggy Mangena alleges that despite suffering serious abuse and going through lengthy legal battles, the justice system has repeatedly failed to protect her or hold her husband, Lewis Mangena, accountable. In her detailed submission to the JSC, she outlined how the courts had mishandled domestic violence, maintenance, and adultery cases, allowing her husband to evade punishment and continue profiting from their jointly owned properties while she lives in poverty.

Mangena recounted a violent incident in which she says her husband struck her on the head with an axe, locked her in their home, and confiscated her phone. She says she was only saved after neighbours intervened and helped her file a police report. Despite the severity of the assault, Lewis was sentenced to perform community service at Knocknara Primary School—an order Peggy claims he avoided by hiring someone else to serve in his place.

After several magistrates recused themselves from hearing the case in Filabusi, the matter was transferred to Esigodini, where a magistrate identified only as JB acquitted both Lewis Mangena and the school official meant to supervise the community service. The same magistrate later dismissed an adultery suit Peggy had filed against a woman allegedly cohabiting with her husband, citing procedural flaws.

Mangena says these court decisions have emboldened her husband, who continues to collect over US$2,500 in monthly rental income from properties they once shared, without giving her any portion. She also accuses the courts of ignoring a standing High Court order compelling Lewis to pay her US$870 in monthly maintenance. Instead, she claims that Magistrate Makhelo Ncube permitted him to pay only ZiG 7,000—far below the ordered amount—despite his evident financial means and business activity.

"I am pained. I survive on handouts and live in depression. The law has always been on his side," she said. "I now fear losing everything, including the homes we built together, as divorce proceedings move forward."

In her plea to the JSC, Mangena requested an urgent review of the specific cases she believes were mishandled by the judiciary. These include criminal and civil matters tied to domestic violence, community service violations, and spousal maintenance.

The Judicial Service Commission has not yet issued a response. However, the case underscores growing concerns over how Zimbabwe's justice system handles cases involving domestic abuse and maintenance enforcement, particularly when powerful or well-connected individuals are involved.

Mangena's story is one of many that highlight the broader issue of gendered injustice in the courts, especially for older women seeking redress in family and domestic matters. As public interest in the case grows, legal observers say it may test the willingness of the judiciary to confront alleged misconduct within its ranks and restore public confidence in the rule of law.