Forgiving wife drop charges to free abusive hubby from jail
An abusive husband has learnt a hard lesson after he was finally freed by the court having spent two weeks in a police holding cell for threatening to kill his wife.
The suspect, 42-year-old Christopher Verengerai from Masvingo, Zimbabwe, is said to have on April 2nd at Lentsweletau threatened his wife Beauty Nyasha by uttering the words “I am going to kill you and then kill myself.”
The matter turned into a short court debate between the magistrate and prosecution after the charge sheet was read.
When the Prosecutor Sergeant Kgosimolao told court that the complainant wanted the matter to be withdrawn, the magistrate then demanded to know why the matter was registered before court when the complainant was no longer interested in the case.
He further they have in the past experienced challenges with matters of that nature, and further stated that the power to withdraw a case solely lied with Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Chief Magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki however advised the police that when the complainant has written withdrawal they have the powers to withdraw matters rather than registering them for the court to decide.
Pleading for his freedom Verengerai the whole thing was a misunderstanding as he’d never hurt his wife.
“She is my wife, we have three children together. I didn’t threaten her it was just a misunderstanding. I have spent two weeks in police custody,” said Verengerai.
Magistrate Tonoki rebuked him to refrain from such kind of behaviour saying “You can’t act like that to a woman, you can’t act like Satan, she is a good woman she gave you three kids. You must be careful when you are in a foreign land, we will discharge you but if the complainant goes back to the police with the same issue then you will be remanded till the matter is complete. It is difficult to get bail in a foreign country, take care of yourself, and behave.”
Verengerai walks out in the gallery looking perplexed with a folded charge sheet on the hand going home, finally relieved.
