Man up for fatal hammer attack on wife
By Tarisai Machakaire
A Harare man appeared in court yesterday for allegedly murdering his wife in a “terrible and brutal” hammer attack after she asked him for a divorce.
The husband, Prosper Mbingo, 34, immediately ingested rat poison after hammering his wife but was rescued by members of the public who rushed to the same medical institution where his wife had been taken to.
Court proceedings for Mbingo were held at the hospital by Harare magistrate Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa yesterday. He was remanded in custody until March 8.
According to State papers, Mbingo is admitting to the offence. There are eye witnesses prepared to testify during trial.
Mbingo is being charged with attempted murder, malicious damage to property and contravening the Domestic Violence Act.
According to State papers, Mbingo has been married to the complainant (name not supplied) since 2013.
The court heard that following a misunderstanding, the woman told Mbingo that she was leaving him.
It was alleged that Mbingo then left the house and later returned and found his wife asleep.
Mbingo used a hammer to strike his wife twice on the face. She sustained a swollen eye and fractured skull. The court heard that Mbingo destroyed a television set, radio, blankets and kitchen ware valued at $800 during the fracas.
After realizing that he had severely injured his wife, Mbingo then attempted to commit suicide.
The couple is still at Harare Central Hospital.
Meanwhile a 77-year-old Harare man told Harare magistrate Amanda Muridzo that he beat his 73-year-old wife in a fight over a television remote control.
Edmund Mangwiro Matambanadzo, 77, of Mt Pleasant Heights in Harare was charged with failure to comply with terms and conditions of a protection order.
The complainant is Edmund’s wife, Regina Faina Matambanadzo, 73.
The State alleged that on February 2 around 10 pm, Regina was home and saw women’s clothes in her wardrobe that did not belong to her.
The court heard that she asked her husband about the owner of the clothes and he responded that they belonged to his ex-girlfriend.
It was alleged that Edmund began shouting at his wife saying she asked silly questions while pinching her nose.
The court heard that Edmund went on to punch his wife’s chest with fists and she fell down.
The matter was reported to the police the following day, leading to the husband’s arrest.
However, Edmund refuted the claims at commencement of trial and claimed his wife of 47 years no longer respected her.
“The clothes she is talking about were for resale and she is aware of that but just fabricated these allegations to fix me. She is actually the one who provoked me but I did not retaliate,” Edmund said.
“We had argued over a remote control for our television set and when I wanted to go the toilet she blocked my way by standing at the door. I squeezed myself and I am actually the one who fell down.” Daily News
