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Lisa Mangena, Court Reporter

A WOMAN from Bulawayo brought court proceedings to a standstill as she partially undressed and held on to a window after being exposed for lying that her husband had beaten her up.

Silibaziso Mathonsi (29) of Pumula South suburb shocked the gallery when she became dramatic, forcing the magistrate Mr Urgent Vundla to adjourn the case.

The drama began when Mathonsi appeared in court to testify against her husband Mr Tichapondiwa Munjodzi whom she alleged had physically abused her.

When the prosecutor Ms Sithembikosi Moyo asked Mathonsi to confirm she was the complainant, she said she never reported her husband to the police.

“I never reported this case. The people I was with are the ones who filed a report. I only signed a statement and I signed to the things l understood,” she said, giggling.

When the magistrate ruled that she had made a false report to the police and should be arrested for contempt of court, Mathonsi started screaming.

She held on to the window and carelessly raised her skirt showing off her underwear.

Initially, people in the gallery laughed.

However, as Mathonsi continued with her bizarre behaviour, a hush fell over the courtroom.

—@LissahMangena