A Kwekwe woman reportedly served a community service sentence on behalf of her husband who had been convicted of physically abusing her.
The young woman, who only identified herself as Theresa, said she performed community service on behalf of her husband Enock Karimanyama.
The matter came to light when Karimanyama dragged Theresa to Kwekwe civil court seeking for a protection order against her.
Karimanyama claimed that his wife beats him up and disposes of their matrimonial property without his consent.
“This woman is in a habit of beating me up and she also gives groceries to our neighbors, she also damaged household property. That is why I need a protection order to save myself from her violent tendencies,” he said.
However, Theresa denied all the accusations and revealed to the court that she was actually the victim and not the perpetrator.
She told the court that, Karimanyama tore her national identity card which resulted in her failure to exercise her voting rights during the August 23-24 general elections.
She further claimed that she performed community service for her husband after he was convicted of domestic violence.
“The issues he highlighted to the court is not what is happening on the ground. The truth is that he returned home around 2am and out of anger I refused to open the door for him so he beat me up and threatened me with a knife.
“My life is at risk because he always threatens to stab me with his knife.
“I performed community service for him when he was convicted previously. I did that to help him out because he was going to work so I had to serve the sentence on his behalf but he now claims that I abuse him, ” she said.
Theresa also claimed that the applicant was having an extra marital affair so he wanted to use the protection order to cover for his extra-marital shenanigans.
“He is having an extra marital affair with a woman who is older than him. So people have been laughing at him that he is dating an elderly woman. Coming to court is a way of covering up for his wrongdoings, ” she said.
The presiding magistrate Cheryl Tembo granted a binding protection order, she ordered the two to live in peace and find a way to solve their differences amicably.
