Woman assaults hubby, escape jail term

A 35-year-old Gwanda woman, who struck her husband on the head with an iron bar after seeing him coming from his lover's hut at midnight, is lucky to escape prison life, after she was ordered to perform community service.

Bekezela Khumalo of Capitol Block resettlement area in Collen Bawn pleaded guilty to physical abuse, as defined under the Domestic Violence Act, before Gwanda magistrate Arafat Kozanai.

Khumalo was slapped with a three-month jail term, which was wholly suspended on condition she performs 105 hours of community service at Capitol Block Primary School.

In passing the sentence, the magistrate lamented the increase in cases of domestic violence, but took into consideration that Khumalo was a first offender who did not waste the court's time.

The court was told that on October 28 this year at around 1am, Khumalo ambushed her husband, Loveday Moyo (35), whom he suspected of having an affair with their neighbour, only identified as MaNdlovu.

Khumalo noticed her husband leaving MaNdlovu's yard and she armed herself with an iron bar.

As Moyo approached his home, Khumalo struck him twice on the head resulting in him sustaining serious injuries. With Moyo bleeding profusely, Khumalo got frightened and alerted neighbours who hired a taxi to ferry him to hospital.

A medical report was compiled and produced in court as evidence.