Man brings axes for cage fight with wife

By Belinda Moyo

A woman from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo has revealed extensive abuse she has suffered at the hands of her former husband who ran away after he impregnated a married neighbour before seeking to sell the family house.

The abuse that includes instances where the man, Mr Hubert Timburwa allegedly in a drunken stupor, would bring two axes home before giving one to his wife, Mrs Vimbai Timburwa and calling for a fight declaring that whoever died in the bout would have been unfortunate, is contained in a complaint she has written to the Chief Justice, Luke Malaba, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the President’s Office begging them to reverse a High Court order to sell the house after he filed for divorce.

In the complaint, Mrs Timburwa said she married Hubert in 1993 and at the time he was not employed. She said through buying and selling she managed to buy a stand and built a house in the suburb. However, Hubert, allegedly took their marriage certificate while she was in hospital and used it to change the ownership of the house into his name.

“The house that we had, that very stand was from a co-operative that I was active in. I started participating in that co-operative called IT’S YOURS from the year 1998 and the housing stands were allocated to us in the year 2005 in November.

I was getting the money to subscribe to the co-operative from selling stuff I got from Botswana. When the housing stands were available each person was allocated money from the bank and the day I was given my money which came through the monthly subscription I had made, I gave birth to our child Tinotenda. When I returned from hospital I found out that my husband had changed everything to his name,” she said.

In 2004, when Mrs Timburwa was pregnant, the husband allegedly started an affair with a married neighbour whose husband is working in South Africa. In, the papers, Mrs Timburwa said a meeting was called by other neighbours to discuss the issue and that same night her husband packed his belongings and left.

Mrs Timburwa added that he allegedly started to live with another woman and within a few months he approached the High Court seeking a divorce and the judge ruled that the house be sold and proceeds shared, although she had suggested that the house be reserved for their three children.

“I am not happy because I am going to lose a house that I built on my own, my children will be left poor. I am now waiting for these offices to look at my case and do something,” she said.

However, besides the appeal, the complaint exposes numerous abuses that she allegedly suffered at the hands of her former husband. In one instance, according to Mrs Timburwa, her ex-husband stole $300 that was for a burial society and squandered it on women. When she asked him, he would beat her. In another instance, Hubert, would harvest all the eggs they were getting from their chicken project at home and take them to his girlfriends.

“Right now my other ear cannot hear properly because of the beatings, my leg is also constantly in pain as at one time he kicked me with a safety shoe,” said said.

Mrs Timburwa, who says she is a traditional healer, said at one time she brewed beer for a traditional ceremony but her husband spilled it all over the house.

“He is also not looking after the children. I pray that the high offices will listen to my story,” she pleaded. Sunday News.