By Mulenga Musonda
The Choma Fast Track Court for Gender Based Violence has heard how a 32 years old man went home with his girlfriend and stubbornly beat up his wife for not welcoming his mistress whom he intended to take as his second wife.
This was in a matter in which Magistrate Muyambango Munukayumbwa convicted Oliver Mudenda on the charge of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Mudenda on June 11, 2021 assaulted Shivan Chilinda and thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
When the matter came up for Facts after the accused pleaded guilty to the offence earlier, Mudenda admitted that the statement read to him was a clear reflection of what transpired on that fateful night.
According to the Facts stated by Public Prosecutor Ebby Kahale, the accused person went home around 23:00hrs in the company of his girlfriend.
Upon his arrival home, he woke up his wife who was in deep slumber and introduced his girlfriend as her rival whom he intended to take in as his second wife.
When the wife refused to tolerate his insatiable appetite for women, the accused person was vexed and started punching the defenceless woman who was still in her night dress.
Despite Chilinda sustaining a swollen face after the beatings, she managed to report the matter to the Police the following day.
In mitigation Mudenda pleaded with the Court to exercise maximum lenience as he has 5 children and takes care of his mother, 8 sisters and 12 orphans.
Despite his heavy burden on his shoulders, Magistrate Munukayumbwa fined Mudenda K500 or in default to spend 6 months imprisonment.
The Court further ordered that Mudenda compensates his wife K300 for the punches she received or a warrant of distress will be issued and enforced.
