the herald
Yeukai Karengezeka –Judicial correspondent
A couple’s marriage is on the rocks as the wife went to court yesterday to seek a protective order against her husband who is assaulting her for refusing to go to the same church as him.
The couple, Eustina Muderedzwa and Garikayi Musikazwi, worshiped together at the African Apostolic Church before the husband decided to move to the Johane Marange Apostolic Church.
Magistrate Ms. Tamara Chibindi of the Harare Civil Court granted the requested order to Ms. Muderedzwa and ordered Musikanzwi not to assault, insult or threaten her.
Ms Muderedzwa told the court how she was abused by her husband because she disagreed with him on religion.
“He left Mwazha Church in 2017 where we have been members for many years and got married there,” she said. “He forced me and the children to join him in Marange, but we refused and now he is threatening to evict me from our rural farm and our other home in Whitecliff.”
Mrs. Muderedzwa said she did not know peace and was always insulted by her husband.
“It’s been three years since he visited us in our rural house, but recently he came and attacked me with a rope, saying that I was not a submissive wife and that I should leave the house “, she said.
Musikazwi denied the allegations, saying he had never assaulted his wife of 23 years because he loved her very much.
“I never assaulted her, she is lying, in fact she was the one who was trying to pull my private organ and accidentally fell where the kitchen was,” he said. “I love my wife and we have five children together. I just want her to listen to me as her husband and join me in my new church.
Musikazwi said his wife badly incited their children to be defiant towards him and married off their 12-year-old daughter without his consent. Ms Muderedzwa said the child was at home and only ran away when Musikazwi came because he always abused children for refusing to accompany him to his church.
