Wives in a polygamous marriage fight over piece of soap

A woman in a polygamous marriage escaped death by a whisker after she was struck with a wooden log on the back of the head by her co-wife during a domestic dispute.

Sarah Ruoko of Zengeza 2 Chitungwiza, the first wife in the marriage, narrowly escaped death after she was struck with a wooden log by the younger wife Sarah Mucheche.

The incident occurred on September 5 in Zengeza after Mucheche took all the soap in the house to do her laundry. The court heard that Ruoko looked for a piece of soap from the drawer inside the house, but she could not find any, prompting her to go to the sink to ask Mucheche to hand her a piece.

An irate Mucheche said she did not have any soap and started shouting at Ruoko.

Prosecutor Ms Rumbidzai Mushonga alleged that Ruoko realised that her co-wife could have been infuriated by the problems she was facing in the marriage and asked her to summon their husband.

This did not go down well with Mucheche who became violent.

Sensing danger, Ruoko turned her back against Mucheche to go back into the house, but Mucheche picked a wooden log and struck her on the back of the head.

Ruoko fell to the ground while bleeding profusely from a deep cut she sustained and was rushed to hospital.
Mucheche was represented by her lawyer Mr Vusani Bangidza.

She denied charges of assault before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo who remanded her on $50 to November 21 for trial.