Wife turns against Zim ex-soldier

Innocent Selatlhwa | Wednesday November 4, 2015 15:26

 

Michael Graduate Mutizwa had called for his wife to be a surety and testify that he could be trusted. Advancing his reasons to be granted bail, Mutizwa said he was married to a Motswana woman who was present in court and would bear witness to his trustworthiness.

He told the court that he had reconciled with his wife who at one point had intended filing for divorce.

“I had a case of assaulting my wife where I was granted unconditional bail and never missed my mentions,” he said.

However, when the suspect’s wife took the stand, she did a U-turn and told the court that she was unwilling to be a surety for her husband’s bail as she was terrified of him.

Christina Mutizwa handed documents, including images, to the prosecutors indicating the extent of the assault allegedly suffered at her husband’s hands.

Seemingly angry, Christina said she did not know how the husband makes a living as she had abandoned her matrimonial home in Mmopane and was now staying in Lephephe.

“I have since decided to back out on reconciling with my husband as he is not playing his part as per the pastor’s advice. He was supposed to write apology letters to me, the people who were present when he assaulted me and my parents,” she said.

In between tears, Christina said in March, her husband went to Lephephe and accused her of cheating with some elderly men. He then allegedly beat her to a pulp, breaking some of her teeth in the process.

“What scares me more about him is that he never shows remorse. Even when appearing at the Molepolole court (for assaulting me), he told my family and I that even if he went to prison, he would return and teach us how to ‘live with other people,’” she said.

Prosecutors also told the court that they were still awaiting documents from Interpol, which they wanted to present to court before the bail ruling.

Magistrate Nthabiseng Tladi will deliver a ruling on Mutizwa’s bail hearing on November 11.

The 43-year-old Mutizwa is accused of unlawful possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol being an arm of war. In the second count, it is alleged that the accused unlawfully had in his possession nine live rounds of 9mm ammunition being ammunitions of war.

When arrested, Mutizwa had in his possession seven walkie talkies, 12 walkie talkie chargers, three walkie talkie batteries, five handcuffs, one baton, two sticks of honour, a ceremonial uniform suspected to be that of the Zimbabwe National Army and a shorthand notebook with written notes for safety precautions and handling of a 9mm pistol.