THERE was drama in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb on Saturday, last week when a man ran amok and mercilessly bashed his estranged wife and her alleged boyfriend after he caught them red-handed getting cosy in their house.
This was after the man, Never Sabumba (37), who is employed in Gwanda received a tip off from his neighbours that his estranged wife Florence Chivhima had invited her boyfriend Ronald Chiriga (38) into their house.
It is reported that when the enraged Sabumba busted the two alleged lovebirds — Chivhima and Chiriga, he assaulted them with fists all over their bodies before he struck them with stones.
As if that was not enough, he went on to cause a scene when he violently damaged a windscreen, view mirrors and deflated tyres of a Mercedes Benz Sprinter belonging to Chiriga.
In a desperate bid to “fix” Chivhima, the daring Sabumba also destroyed some of the household property including a gas pipe, dispenser clip, home theatre and Ecolux torch.
The melodramatic incident which left Emakhandeni residents shocked was heard at the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court where Sabumba was being charged with assault, physical abuse and malicious damage to property before magistrate Urgent Vundla.
He pleaded not guilty to the three counts. In his defence he stated that he was angered after he found his “wife” with a boyfriend in their house.
“Florence is still my wife and we have four children together. I committed the offence after I received a tip-off from my neighbours that she had brought a boyfriend to our house. Upon arrival I became angry when I found her with Chiriga who I had always suspected of disturbing my marriage and that’s why I bashed them and destroyed property,” thundered Sabumba.
This was after Chivhima had indicated to the court that the “couple” was no longer together and that they separated two years ago.
“She indicated to the court that we separated two years ago but her parents who are here in court still regard me as their son-in-law and they can be asked if it’s not true that I am still married to their daughter. Her parents also once reprimanded her over her infidelity,” a livid Sabumba said.
Chivhima, who begged the court to punish Sabumba for severely assaulting her and her alleged lover, insisted that she separated with Sabumba two years ago.
“It is not true that we are still together. We separated two years ago and he should be punished for assaulting me,” she tersely said.
Chiriga also testified against Sabumba saying he sustained “serious” injuries as a result of his brutal assault.
“He punched me after he found me with Florence (Chivhima). We both bled profusely after the attack,” said Chiriga.
“He struck me once with a stone on the head and I fell down. He tried to hit me for the second time but I defended myself. He also tried to stab me with a knife and fortunately he missed his target,” he said.
Sabumba is yet to know his fate after the matter was postponed to 24 September for continuation of trial.