Zimpapers Logo

Brenda Zinyuke, Court Reporter

A WOMAN from Bulawayo who was accused of scalding her husband with boiling water peeling off most of his skin, breathed a sigh of relief after attempted murder charges against her were withdrawn yesterday.

Alice Chigwida (39) was alleged to have burnt Mr Davies Chitagu (47) with hot water for arriving home late and failing to pick her up from St Mary’s Cathedral  Basilica sometime in August.

Her husband told the court she scalded him by mistake.

Chigwida had pleaded not guilty to the charge when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Mafios Moyo.

The State represented by Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa failed to prove its case against Chigwida as it only had evidence from Mr Chitagu who told the court that his wife burnt him by mistake.

“I got home at around 9PM on August 3 and an altercation broke out as she questioned why I had come home late. It was dark in the house as there was no electricity and my wife had heated water for her to bath,” said Mr Chitagu.

“We were standing in the passage between our bedroom and the kitchen. During our scuffle she mistakenly hit the pot with hot water with her arm and it drenched me,” he said.

Mr Chitagu said he was shocked when he received a call from the police with regards to the matter.

The magistrate said charges against Chigwida were withdrawn after plea.

“You are subsequently found not guilty and acquitted,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said Mr Chitagu arrived home at around 9PM on August 3 and his wife asked him why he had returned home late before she accused him of infidelity. 

“As a result, the accused person refused to sleep with her husband in their matrimonial bedroom and slept in their children’s bedroom. She waited for the complainant to fall asleep before boiling water and pouring it all over his body,” said Mr Manyiwa. 

He said Mr Chitagu allegedly saw his wife standing at the bed side carrying a plastic basin shouting that she wanted to fix him.

Mr Manyiwa said Mr Chitagu suffered serious injuries and requested his wife to take him to hospital.

Chigwida allegedly drove her husband to Parkview surgery where he was admitted.

 A report was made to Donnington Police Station leading to the accused person’s arrest. — @zinyuke98