By Prosper Dembedza
A woman yesterday told the court that her abusive husband urinates on their blankets three times a night and defecates on the doorstep each time he comes home drunk.
Cathrine Musendo said her husband, Steward Chapotera, was also in the habit of exchanging family groceries for cigarettes.
This emerged at the Harare Civil Court where Musendo was seeking a protection order against Chapotera, whom she accused of verbally and physically abusing her.
“I am sick and tired of cleaning his mess everyday because each time he comes home drunk he urinates on the blankets three times and then changes into fresh clothes,” she said.
Musendo said Chapotera was also in the habit of defecating on the doorstep whenever he was drunk.
“He goes to work but doesn’t buy food for the family, leaving the burden of feeding him and the children to me yet I am not employed.
“I am a vegetable vendor and I am the one who is fending for the family since he spends his money on alcohol and prostitutes,” said Musendo.
Musendo told magistrate Ms Babra Masinire that Chapotera also steals family groceries which he exchanges for cigarettes.
“He is such a shameless man. Last week I caught him taking our family radio to a commuter omnibus driver to give him as payment for boarding his omnibus,” she said.
Musendo said she was tired of being physically and verbally abused with obscene words by Chapotera over petty issues.
Chapotera denied the allegations and accused Musendo for disrespecting him.
“She doesn’t want to listen to me as her husband; that’s the major problem in our house,” he said.
Chapotera did not deny messing the blankets and defecating on the doorstep but he placed the blame on alcohol.
Ms Masinire granted Musendo the order sought, which barred Chapotera from verbally or physically abusing her.
She advised Chapotera not to let alcohol ruin his marriage. The Herald
