Wife fed up with abusive hubby

A MUTARE woman has approached a traditional court for protection and relief after enduring years of physical torment at the hands of her abusive husband.

She said the abusive trend compelled her to dump him and she skipped the border to Mozambique, thinking that he would not locate her, but alias, he tracked, located, assaulted and left her for dead.

The woman is now petrified, fearing a violent comeback by her erstwhile hubby.

Appearing before Acting Chief Mutambara’s community court recently, a visibly troubled Josephina Mandiya recounted her traumatic journey, detailing how her hubby, Tawanda Chiwashira turned her into a punching bag over the years.

Mandiya, who was accompanied by her parents, said she wanted Chiwashira to appear before the community court for her to officially present him a divorce token.

“I have tried to give him a divorce token, but he never took it seriously. He continues abusing me. Enough is enough, and no longer love him. I need to move on and stay in peace with my children,” she said.

She also wants the traditional leadership to deal decisively with him.

Mandiya said Chiwashira, a former police officer who is now into illegal gold mining, abuses her in the presence of their children.

“When we got married, he had his children from a previous marriage, and I had mine as well. I am the one who took care of all the children as he squandered his earnings on alcohol. He was in the habit of stealing my money and spending it on beer. Each time

I confronted him over his sticky fingers, he would assault me,” she said.

Mandiya said she was granted a protection order by the civil court, but Chiwashira violates it willy-nilly.

“I have suffered a lot of physical harm at his hands and ended up fleeing the country to Mozambique, thinking he would not locate me. I have a protection order against him from the civil court, but still I have not known peace. Each time I reported him to the police for violating the protection order, he would disappear,” she said.

Mandiya said her hopes for safety and sanctuary were shattered a few months when Chiwashira tracked her down to Mozambique and inflicted more pain and suffering on her.

Chiwashira allegedly pursued, assaulted and left her for dead on different occasions.

“He was also arrested in Mozambique, but each time he was released, he would physically abuse me again and again, a reason I have approached this court for assistance,” she said.

Acting Chief Mutambara’s court has been trying to locate Chiwashira without success, deeming him a person of no fixed abode.

“She provided us with his address in Mutare and all other contact details, but we are failing to locate him. Tenants at the Greenside address where the erstwhile couple used to stay say they do not know them. His given contact numbers are always unreachable. We visited Nechitima Village where he is alleged to hail from, and people there said they do not know him,” said Acting Chief Mutambara.

He said his court will continue investigating his whereabouts until they locate him.

The matter was adjourned until after the court locates Chiwashira.