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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 24-year-old wife-beating soldier was reminded that “military training is not for harming women” by a magistrate. Tatenda Sibanda banged his wife’s head against the wall and floor and punched her on the face causing her to lose three teeth, Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon was told.

Sibanda, who is stationed in Plumtree, became angry after Linet Dube (21) questioned him about his extra marital affairs. Passing sentence after Sibanda had pleaded not guilty to assault, Philemon said the injuries sustained by the complainant were consistent with the beatings she experienced.

The magistrate told Sibanda that he was supposed to use the military training that he had received to serve the country and not to assault his wife.

He sentenced Sibanda to 10 months imprisonment after conditionally setting aside five months. The court heard how Sibanda arrived at his home in the company of another woman and ordered his wife to leave the house.

Dube resisted and Sibanda pushed her out of the house. She forced her way back into the house upon which her husband started assaulting her.

He punched her on the face and banged her several times against the wall and against the floor. Sibanda further threatened his wife with death if she reported the matter. Prosecuting, Paul Mpofu narrated how Sibanda beat up his wife until she fainted.

“On November 14 at around 10pm and at house number 1530 Mathendele the accused who arrived home in the company of another woman told his wife to leave the house. She resisted and he pushed her out of the house.

“Dube forced her way back into the house in a bid to fetch her baby who was crying. The accused person blocked her path and punched her several times on the face,” he said.

Added Mpofu: “He banged her several times against the wall and floor until she fainted. The complainant sustained serious injuries as a result of the assault. She also lost three teeth.”

In her statement in court the complainant said: “On the day I was assaulted my husband came home with another woman who was pregnant and he indicated that he was responsible for the pregnancy and said the woman would stay with us.

“I objected to this and he ordered me to leave the house. I resisted and he pushed me out. When I was outside I heard my child crying and I forced my way back into the house.

“My husband blocked my path and punched me several times on the face,” said Dube.

She added:
“He banged my head against the wall several times and pushed me to the floor and banged my head several times against the floor and that is when I lost three of my teeth. I do not know what happened next as I was unconscious but what I recall is waking up outside my home.

“He later threatened to kill me if I sought medical attention or reported him but I went behind his back and reported him which led to his arrest,” said Dube.

She said she and her husband had previously had a misunderstanding over an extra marital affair which her husband was having with the same woman.