FOR the past 12 years, she has stayed in the relationship, not because of love, but because of fear of the okapi.
Cynthia Nyabadza made the shocking revelations that her husband Shadreck Mbewe forced her to stay in the relationship as he kept an okapi under the pillow.
Whenever they had a misunderstanding, he reportedly threatened to use it, forcing her to behave in any manner which pleased him.
Nyabadza finally decided to seek help from the courts so she could dump the abusive husband and have peaceful nights without fear of an okapi.
“We have been customarily married for 12 years. During the subsistence of our marriage we had a lot of problems and he was threatening me with death and has been keeping an okapi knife under the pillow,” said Nyabadza.
She further revealed that her husband was in the habit of accusing her of being a prostitute.
Though she deserted their matrimonial home, Mbewe visits her at her workplace threatening to stab her.
“I have since moved from our matrimonial home, but he threatens me over the phone saying I must come back.
There is a day when he tried to stab me with an okapi.
“Efforts to engage elders have also failed and when I ask him about the okapi, he claims it’s for self defence,” said Nyabadza.
In response, Mbewe dismissed the report saying, “It is not true that I stalk her and I only went to her work place once.
“I became worried after she told me that she was no longer coming back to our home and needed us to share property.”
Presiding magistrate Stephen Ndlovu referred the couple for counselling. After counselling sessions, Nyabadza maintained her stance that she was no longer interested in the relationship and Mbewe was ordered to surrender the okapi to the nearest police station.