A MUTORASHANGA man fatally assaulted his 25-year-old wife by hitting her with a hoe handle, stones and slashing her with a knife after accusing her of “winking” at a man he suspected was having an extra-marital affair with her, Justice Hlekani Mwayera heard yesterday.
REPORT BY CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER
As if that was not enough, the convict Norman Arumando (30), poured boiling water with sweet potatoes on his wife Mercy Chakwesha, hit her with a glowing firewood log, grabbed a knife, cut her pants and poked her private parts with a stick.
The heart-rending incident occurred on May 23 2010 at Plot 51, Landfall Farm in Mutorashanga.
Arumando was convicted of murder with constructive intent prompting Justice Mwayera to spare him from the hangman’s noose. He was slapped with an effective 18-year jail term.
In passing sentence Justice Mwayera echoed Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku’s utterances condemning domestic violence saying it was regrettable that innocent lives were being lost over trivial issues that could be resolved amicably. Prosecutor Justin Uladi said on the day in question, a certain man who was not identified in court arrived at Arumando’s plot intending to settle his mother’s $1 debt.
After failing to locate Arumando’s mother, Eva Arumando, the man then handed over the money to Arumando and went away leaving the couple and the other relatives at the plot.
Just after the man had gone, Arumando accused Chakwesha of having winked at the unidentified man and the accusations led to a heated argument prompting Arumando to resort to physical attack against his wife.
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The court heard that although Chakwesha denied the accusations, Arumando became violent and started assaulting her with all sorts of weapons he laid his hands on.
Arumando’s younger brother Samson later passed by the plot and his relatives pleaded with him to restrain his brother from attacking his wife but he allegedly refused and let him inflict more injuries on Chakwesha.
It was only after the intervention of some local youths that Arumando was restrained but Chakwesha had already sustained fractured legs burns and other severe injuries.
She died on her way to hospital.
