A VICTORIA FALLS man was yesterday arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court facing allegations of beating his pregnant wife, saying her mood swings annoyed him. Nokuthaba Dlamini Own Correspondent
James Paul Nyoni (34) of Chinotimba high-density suburb was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani.
Prosecutor Takunda Ndovorwi told the court that on July 14 last year, Sharon Ngomo (23) asked Nyoni why he was not talking to her and was always coming back home late.
The question did not go down well with Nyoni who took a stick and assaulted Ngomo on her face and head before hitting her with a fist.
Ngomo sustained bruises all over her face and a broken tooth according to a medical report.
However, Nyoni told the court that he was grossly provoked by his wife’s behaviour.
“Since she fell pregnant, she is always moody and accuses me of being a womaniser,” he told the court.
“We have been married close to a year now, but there is no peace at home.
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“The day I assaulted her she woke me up at night, threw my clothes outside the house and ordered me to leave, alleging that I was a womaniser and always wanted her to feed me yet I am not employed.”
Nyoni said he was forced to seek refuge in a broken down car in their yard, but the wife followed carrying a stick which she used to poke him on the head.
“She was spitting on me and that was the time I got angry and assaulted her, but she was not injured that much,” Nyoni claimed.
However, he is not a newcomer to courts.
In February he was sentenced to pay a fine of $80 or spend six weeks in prison after he had assaulted his wife and left her bruised.
In June he was sentenced to perform 105 hours of community service after he had committed the same offence on his wife.
In mitigation, Nyoni begged the courts to give him a lenient sentence as he had recently lost his grandmother and was still grieving, promising to stop assaulting his wife.
He further indicated that his wife was about to give birth.
Rosemani could not sentence Nyoni after stating that she wanted to check on previous convictions before passing a judgment.
Nyoni was remanded in custody.
