Hubby savagely stabs wife, leaves her for dead

A Chipinge woman escaped death by a whisker after her  hubby, who once tried to set her ablaze, stabbed her several times and left the knife stuck on her back last week.

The 30-year-old Nyaradzo Maphosa, who is recovering at Mutare Provincial Hospital revealed to The Weekender on Monday that she miraculously survived the frightening incident after she lost a lot of blood on her way to Chipinge District Hospital since her incensed ex-hubby, Michael Tasiyana who was determined to kill, dumped her after the incident.

Tsiyana was arrested after the incident which happened in Gaza high-density surbub.

He was expected to appear in court this week facing attempted murder charges.

Maphosa chronicled how her marriage of years had been a bed of thorns and a boulevard of tears and anguish.

"Baba aTino (Tasiyana) has been an abusive husband over the years. This incident never surprised me. Our marriage has always been characterised by fighting. We always argued over everything.

"I always faced difficulties in convincing him that I am a very caring mother and loving wife. A few years ago, he almost set me ablaze with paraffin after a silly dispute and he always vowed that he would kill me one day. Ndaingoshingirira ndichiti ndizvo zvinoita mumba. I thought everything would be fine, but it turned out to be worse with each passing day.

"We had separated and I had gone to stay with my twin sister before the incident happened. In an effort to resolve the never-ending marital disputes we were invited by the ZRP's Community Relations Department for counseling. I asked him if we could go together, he complied, before he started hurling verbal insults at me on our way to the police, accusing me of involving other people in our relationship. He pulled out a big knife and stabbed me on my back. He also stabbed my hand while I was trying to block him from the heinous act.

"He was so determined to kill. He actually said nhasi hupenyu hwako hurikugumira pano and I told myself that I had to be strong. The knife was stuck on my back and I had to walk for almost a kilometre with a knife stuck on my back. I bled profusely and everyone is surprised that I survived the attack. A passerby, Thomas Sithole, came to my rescue and took me to the police and later to Chipinge District Hospital where the knife was removed.

I was later transferred to Mutare Provincial Hospital and I thank God I am alive. I just can't believe that I am alive," said Maphosa, who was struggling for composure during the interview.

A close source privy to the couple's long wrangling, said Tasiyana, a well-known beer guzzler, accused Maphosa of infidelity.

"Maphosa was owed some money by a customer who gave back the money in Tasiyana's presence. Thinking that the money was for 'service' rendered to the man by Maphosa, Tasiyana went ballistic and accused her of failing to respect him by entertaining her boyfriends in his presence.

"That is what broke the camel's back. Tasiyana, a well known imbiber of Zed (an illicit brew smuggled from Mozambique) hurled a lot of insults at Maphosa before stabbing her. I think he was under the influence of Zed," said the source.

Assistant Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda,  urged couples to solve marital disputes amicably rather than resorting to violence.

"Tasiyana is assisting us with investigations. We urge couples to find common ground whenever they argue. Resorting to violence has never been a solution. People should learn to control their emotions and seek professional counseling."

One of the women lawyers in Mutare, Ms Memory Mandingwa, said women were a vulnerable party when it comes to domestic violence.

Domestic violence, according to Wikipedia is a pattern of behaviour which involves the abuse by one partner against another in an intimate relationship such as marriage.

She said: "This is sad and it is quite unfortunate that most women are not using the Domestic Violence Act which is there to protect them. Although the Act is there to protect any weaker party in a marital relationship, women are always vulnerable.

"The Act comes to regulate the abusive conduct by a party. Couples should not be afraid to approach the courts when instances of domestic violence and abuse arise.

A protection order is a cry for help. The court will interdict the abusive party to desist from violence or face jail term. It is there to regulate an abusive hubby.

"It works as a caution. A majority of women are suffering yet the Domestic Violence Act is an effective part of legislation which protects the abused party. One can lose his/her life by keeping quiet while being abused."