Jilted husband unleashes hell

NDABA NKOMO
Correspondent | Wednesday October 20, 2010 00:00

A 26-year-old Zimbabwean woman, Loveness Chirembi* and her baby suffered serious injuries after her abusive husband stormed into their rented servant's quarters in Block 5 in the evening and struck her with a bottle.

She suffered a deep cut on her back and another on her head. The baby sustained two cuts on the face just above the left eye. Her 'crime' was daring to leave her abusive common-law husband.

However, she does not want to report the matter to the police because of fear of infuriating her husband more and being deported since she has overstayed in Botswana.

The woman, who refused to be identified because that would incense her husband who has been terrorising her for months.

Her attempts to flee from him have invited more fury from the man she once adored as an angel but has developed into a demon.

'He has been physically attacking me for months. At one point during winter he poured a bucket of cold water on me and struck me several times until I passed out. I have tried getting my uncle who stays in Old Naledi to solve the issue because he is my only relative who can assist as we are far from home (Zimbabwe),' Chirembi said.

She said the landlord ended up driving the husband out of his cottage because he would not tolerate the man's brutality.

'But this has not worked because my husband is always checking to see if the landlord is not around. If he is away he comes back to beat me,' she cried.

The husband, who works in Gaborone as a landscaper, vows not to let her go because he says he has paid bogadi.  Her uncle said the son-in-law would not cooperate with anyone over any issue.

'He is capitalising on his wife's status to abuse her. Unfortunately the wife is not willing to go back to Zimbabwe because of the collapsed economy. But she will be better off back home than here. Her parents can sort out the logistics of terminating the traditional marriage and she can win back her life and freedom,' he said.

Another family friend said Chirembi might be killed, leaving her baby in the hands of a man who is not worth anything. 'I told her mother in Zimbabwe about her daughter's conditions here and she said that, when she has raised enough money she should find her way home, where is always welcome.' 

Those that know the couple always wonder why the woman is not brave enough to report the matter to the police or seek police protection. 'Marriage is a good institution but if it is not working it is better to end it.

'Chirembi has to stop making excuses for this gorilla and get him behind bars where he belongs. Botswana is the land of the free. Our laws protect us but if she is not using the law to her advantage one day it may be too late,' said Beauty Manyande, another concerned neighbour.

Chirembi refused to go to the hospital for treatment. She hopes to get her life back but lacks the courage to leave her abusive husband who also happens to be the sole breadwinner. *Not her real name