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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A SOLDIER stationed in Bulawayo allegedly physically abused his police officer wife over a suspected extra marital affair. Fordson Chipenga, 33, who appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa yesterday, denied the assault charge. He was remanded out of custody to Friday for continuation of trial. Chipenga told the court that he came across some love messages on his wife, Lynnet Chidenyu’s cellphone which were addressed to another man. He said he confronted his wife who is stationed at the Plumtree Police Station over the matter resulting in an argument.

Chipenga said he wrestled with his estranged wife as they tussled over the cellphone but he never assaulted her.

“I saw love messages on my wife’s WhatsApp on March 30 and they were directed to another man but l kept quiet. A day later I asked her over the phone whether she truly loved me and because I was angry, I rebuked her.

“When she got home that day an altercation ensued. She questioned why I rebuked her. She ordered me to leave the house since we stay at the Plumtree Police Camp but I refused,” said Chipenga.

He said he then confiscated his wife’s cellphone as he wanted to show it to her superiors.

Chipenga said he wrestled with the complainant as he tried to grab the phone and in the process his wife injured her hand and started bleeding.

He said Chidenyu, who was now fuming, stormed out of the house and threatened to fix him.

Chipenga said his wife went on to make a false report that he had physically abused her.

Chidenyu maintained that her husband had assaulted her and denied having received love messages from a secret lover. She said her husband was a violent man and had detained her for three hours and stopped her from reporting for work.

“I had to travel to Bulawayo for a work related defensive driving course but my husband wouldn’t allow me. He detained me and confiscated my phone. My husband started acting strangely on March 30 when I sent him a love message telling him that I wouldnt be able to sleep with him that night as my menstrual cycle had started. In his response he rebuked me,” said Chidenyu.

She said on the day of the altercation she tried to open the door but her husband held her by the neck and squeezed her hand against the door handle until she sustained a deep cut.

Chidenyu said her husband went on to question her about a bottle of anointing oil which she had brought from Harare. She said thereafter he detained her in the house for three hours in a bid to stop her from going to work.

Prosecuting, Jane Phiri said Chipenga and Chidenyu had an argument on April 1 over a bottle of anointing oil.