A 28-YEAR-OLD woman from Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb fled her matrimonial home after losing a tooth following a severe assault by her husband’s 40-year-old mistress, a court heard.
The complainant, Edith Shumba, was assaulted by her rival, Thembi Sibanda, with open hands and clenched fists until one of her teeth fell out, after she had blocked Sibanda from entering her matrimonial house.
Sibanda was convicted when she appeared before Western Commonage Provincial Magistrate, Mr Maphios Moyo, for contravening section 3(1) of the Domestic Violence (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 5:16, physical abuse, despite pleading not guilty.
She was ordered to perform 210 hours of community service for the offence. Ms Sibekithemba Dube, for the State, told the court that on 19 December last year at around 10pm, Patient Mapfumo (36) came home from town with his girlfriend Sibanda where they found his wife at home.
However, as the girlfriend was about to enter the house the wife blocked her and blatantly told her that her presence was not good for the children.
However, the “small house’’ started hailing insults at her saying that she had the right to enter the house claiming that she was also a member of the family.
During the scuffle, Sibanda then started assaulting Shumba resulting in her losing one of her teeth before she fled.The husband, who had also been arraigned before the courts for helping his girlfriend to assault her, was however, found not guilty and acquitted of the charge.
In passing judgment, the court had no kind words for Sibanda and accused her of invading another woman’s marital domain.
“You imposed yourself into the complainant’s marital home and wanted to force her to succumb and accept your presence. When she objected by denying you access into her house you attacked and obstructed her.
You being much older than her you overpowered the complainant until she had to flee her home in the middle of the night. She lost her tooth and this will remain a permanent injury, as it is irreplaceable. You were the aggressor in the circumstances and had no right to challenge the complainant at her matrimonial house,’’ the magistrate said.
The magistrate also castigated Sibanda for being a disrespectful person who should learn to respect other people’s marriages.
“Although she is 14 years younger than you, she deserves respect from any woman when it comes to issues of interfering with her marriage particularly if one takes her husband away from her.
“You should teach yourself to keep away from other people’s marriages. You are free to secure your own marriage but not free to take away another woman’s husband in order to achieve your marital status,’’ the magistrate said.
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This 40 year old woman is not even ashamed. They say life begins at 40, but here for Sibanda, "prostitution begins at 40". The husband is 4 years younger than him what a shame. Asi newe 28 year Shumba, you think you can fight a 40 year old HURE? My dear, you must use your medula oblingata. You should have just locked yourself in the house than start shouting at her. Kunyarara mushonga. Umuthi yikuthula. And for Sibanda, find your age my dear. You are to look for 60 years and above men. Go to church and pray to God to give you your own husband. Uyayangisa maSibanda. Uyi sibanda okweqiniso. You dont know that if these Shona men are out to play games with you Ndebele women. When their wives come from home, they will tell you that – Mukadzi wekumatso arikuuya chimbosuduruka. Kura mhani Sibanda. Wosvika 40 years uchihura? Ramba kusevenzeswa.
Comment by Sisi Ngwenya — June 26, 2010 @ 4:12 am
For Edith Shumba, there is a saying that 'there will be gnashing of teach". Lucky you Shumba, it does not concern you! Be blessed
Comment by Sisi Ngwenya — June 26, 2010 @ 4:13 am
wena Thembi tshiyana labeTshabi can u not find a ndebele man? nx………
Comment by Sakunqandwa yini — June 28, 2010 @ 11:30 am
Itshabi li Tshabi.
Comment by Sisi Ngwenya — June 29, 2010 @ 2:17 pm
The woman on the oicture seems to have lost not only one tooth but frontline yese hapana, whats happening nemaths dzenyu nhai editor? Tadzoka zvakare kuBulawayo, where things happen. I am still wondering why people fight over another? Kutapirirwa nemunhu iyeye here kana kuti inzara yechikafu? Why cant you just move on and look for Mr or Mrs right? Some even kill their rivals and at the end both are losers. Hameno
Comment by nyatso — June 30, 2010 @ 4:19 am
shame
Comment by tc wedzerai — July 6, 2010 @ 9:05 am
nyaya yemhata nemboro inonetsa
Comment by munondidii — July 8, 2010 @ 5:19 am
I a surprised the agistarte found the man innocent when it is him who brought the woman home in the first place. What kind of justice is that?
Comment by zana mari — July 13, 2010 @ 4:21 pm
All men that do not respect their wives by bringing their small houses into the matrimonial homes do not deseve any woman of substance. I guess it is more to do wih women's dependence on men for daily survival. Why would a 28 year old woman of substance find herself being subjected to competing with a 40 year old woman.
Comment by actor — July 25, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
__Any men who does subject his wife to such esteem damaging experience is himself a failure and on many ocassions women want for his money not for what he can do to them. He is a cash cow but not effective on what matters in a marriage. Both the small house and wife will simply be in it for the comfort provided by the irresponsible man. It is not all wives that are dedicated to their men but they know what material their husbands can provides so they stay.__Hence they are prepared to fight for the man's gold. What would give courage to a small house to confront a married woman in her own home? It is such men who end up raising other men's children as their wives take revenge by getting the men to taste their own medicine. __Women refuse to be made tools by such men go out there and get pregnant and let such men take care of the off-spring of other men let them know when they are on their death bed.__Men think they always winners the truth is the opposite women are the deal when it comes to this cheating business especially when you cause them to revenge.
Comment by actor — July 25, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Dinga enye indoda usizi awuselamazinyo
Comment by Mahamba — August 10, 2010 @ 1:49 pm