Mzuzu woman pleads with court to free abusive husband
A wife, who had both hands fractured following a beating by his husband, has asked the Mzuzu Magistrate Court to free his convicted husband claiming she will suffer if the breadwinner is locked behind bars.
First Grade Magistrate Dungamise Msiska was expected to deliver sentence on August 6, 2013 but has since adjourned the case to August 8 2013 following the wife’s plea.
Last week, the Mzuzu Magistrate Court convicted the 22-year-old man for fracturing his wife’s hands after an altercation turned sour following the disappearance of MK2,000 from his trouser’s pockets.
However, a legal expert said the court can either give the convict a suspended sentence based on the complainant’s plea.
“Or before sentencing, the convict can change plea to that of not guilty and this means the case will have to restart. The complainant will then be recalled to testify and at that juncture she will then withdrew the case,” lawyer George Kadzipatike of Jivason and Company said in an interview Tuesday.
The court heard through State Prosecutor Sergeant Keston Chiona that on July 24, 2013 at Chiputula Township in Mzuzu, Ngulube came drunk home and slept up to about midnight but woke up and started accusing the wife of taking Mk200 from his pockets.
“They started arguing and in the process he started beating his wife and eventually broke both of her hands. Neighbors rescued her and took her to hospital,” Chiona said.
The State then asked the Court to mete a deterrent sentence despite the fact that the convict is a first offender arguing that violence against women was on the rise.
“It is the duty of the courts and Police to protect women in this country,” Chiona said.
The wife, Irene Manda of Zamlomo Village, Traditional Authority Timbiri in Nkhata Bay District, said she is unable to perform any tasks or household chores.
The court convicted Ngulube on his own plea of guilty of the offence of Acts intended to cause grievous harm contrary to section 235(a) of the Penal Code. It attracts life imprisonment as maximum sentence.
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