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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A Mangwe man severely assaulted his 20-year-old neighbour for turning down his love proposal. Nduna Sibanda, 33, of Mayobodo area was lucky to escape with a wholly suspended three months sentence when Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa convicted him of assault. The sentence was suspended for five years on condition that he does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.

Sibanda had on several occasions expressed his undying love for his neighbour, Talent Vundla, who repeatedly turned him down.

Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said Sibanda proceeded to his neighbour’s house around 4PM on August 21.

He said he found Vundla at home and proposed love to her.

“Vundla refused but Sibanda persisted. After she vehemently rejected the proposal, Sibanda punched her several times,” said Mazorodze.

He said Vundla fled the homestead to save herself from further assault.

In another incident a mine worker from Mangwe, was sentenced to a suspended three months imprisonment after assaulting his girlfriend for denying him sex.

Graduate Bvuma, 32, who works at Gossani Mine in Mphoengs area, had his sentence suspended for five years on condition that he does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.

He was also fined $100 for dropping a cigarette stub in a bush which caused a veld fire.

In the assault case, Bvuma punched Nokuthaba Mathe, 29, several times all over the body after she refused to sleep with him.

In his defence Bvuma said his girlfriend did not have the right to deny him sexual intercourse as they were living together and he was responsible for her upkeep.

In passing his sentence Ruvetsa said being a provider for his girlfriend did not justify Bvuma’s actions.

“Just because you are fending for her doesn’t mean that you can beat he up if she denies you sex. She also has the right to refuse if she does not want to engage in sex. If you want sex you have to ask rather than force yourself onto a person as that becomes a crime,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mazorodze said on August 21 Bvuma woke up at around 5AM and tried to have sexual intercourse with Mathe who refused and indicated that she was sleeping.

“Bvuma was angered by his lover’s response. A misunderstanding arose. Bvuma punched his girlfriend several times all over the body. She reported the matter to the police resulting in Bvuma’s immediate arrest,” he said.

In the second count, Mazorodze said Bvuma started the fire at a bushy area at Sivako suburb in Plumtree.

Residents who witnessed the incident pursued Bvuma and effected a citizen’s arrest. They later handed him over to the police.

In passing sentence, Ruvetsa reprimanded Bvuma for being reckless. “It was reckless of you to drop your cigarette stub as you could have destroyed property in the surrounding area. To make matters worse you did not attempt to put out the fire,’ he said.