Man gets 25 years for killing wife over chair

ONGWEDIVA - A pensioner, who had assaulted and caused the death of his wife over a broken chair in 2018, was on Friday sentenced to 25 years imprisonment in the Oshakati High Court.

Isak Matsi assaulted the wife with an axe handle.

The court heard that the deceased waddled into the mahangu field towards the neighbours’ house to seek refuge, however, the accused pursued her and despite the son’s effort to stop him, he continued to assault her. She died on the spot.

The gruesome attack happened on 17 May 2018 at Okatope in the Oshikoto region.

She was assaulted over a broken blue chair worth N$30.

The husband had pleaded guilty to the charge.

During the sentencing, Judge David Munsu said the accused took away the deceased’s life for a flimsy reason – the accidental damage of a plastic chair.

“His attack on the deceased was therefore unprovoked.

He ignored his son’s request to desist from attacking the deceased and he physically wrestled with him to maintain grip and possession of the axe handle,” said Munsu.

The judge further remarked that even after the deceased collapsed, the accused was not alarmed as it was the son who was 21 at the time in whose arms the deceased tumbled for the last time and covered her with blankets and contacted the neighbours to arrange for transport.

“According to the son, the accused remained standing there doing nothing as if he had not done anything. He did not even make an effort to inspect the condition of his wife,” said the judge further.

Munsu said the court recognises that society is overwhelmed by the prevalence of offences of this nature.

“Violence in homes lingers unabated despite the harsh sentences meted out by the courts. Those who commit these heinous crimes put families through immeasurable pain.”

“When they, later on, express remorse, it boggles one’s mind at what became of them at the time. Undoubtedly, they well knew at the time of the commission of the offence that once taken away, not even their deepest regret afterwards or the harshest punishment can ever bring back the lost precious life,” said Munsu.