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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

A 78-YEAR-OLD man from Gwanda has appeared in court for allegedly attacking his estranged 79-year-old wife with an axe before force-marching her back to their matrimonial home after their separation.

Bishop Sibanda of Zhokwe Village was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi, facing a kidnapping charge.

He was remanded in custody to May 29.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said Sibanda attacked and kidnapped his wife Mrs Agnes Sibanda on May 10 at around 12noon.

“On 10 May at around 12noon, Sibanda, who is on separation with his wife, arrived at the complainant’s home and found her with her daughter-in-law, Julia Ncube. Sibanda requested his wife to go back with him to his homestead as he still loved her but she refused as he was the one who had chased her away,” she said.

“This made Sibanda furious and he picked up an axe and tried to attack her but she took the axe from him. Sibanda retrieved another axe and struck the complainant once on the forehead. He went on to assault her on her back several times using the back of the axe. Sibanda then force-marched the complainant to his homestead where he kept her for several hours. He later ordered the complainant to leave the homestead with him as they were going to Garanyemba area to talk to her relatives.” 

Miss Mahachi said the complainant’s daughter-in-law alerted some villagers about what Sibanda had done.

She said villagers teamed up and followed him and the complainant and they caught up with them about three kilometres from his homestead.

The matter was reported to the police resulting in Sibanda’s arrest.

—@DubeMatutu