A 23-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has been sentenced to three months in jail for assaulting his mother after she brought her lover to their home.

Bhekumuzi Ngwenya of Lobengula Extension throttled his mother Ms Sikhanyisiwe Ngwenya after he got home drunk.

Ngwenya appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu and pleaded not guilty to a charge of domestic violence.

Mr Ndlovu gave Ngwenya a lecture on the virtues of respecting one’s parent before sentencing him to three months in prison which were suspended on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Lobengula Secondary School.

“A person who has the guts to assault his own mother is not fit to be in society. Culturally that is taboo and it is a serious offence so you do not deserve to be in the community,” he said.

Ngwenya told the court that he did not touch his mother but had an argument with her boyfriend.

“I never did anything to my mother, the person I had a problem with was her boyfriend and as we were talking an argument ensued between us. My mother tried to solve the issue and that is when we had a misunderstanding,” he said.

The prosecutor, Mr Tapiwa Solani, said on Tuesday last week, Ngwenya got home at around 11PM and found his mother sleeping with her boyfriend.

“Ngwenya ordered the man to leave their home and his mother stopped him from chasing the man away. That did not go down well with him. A misunderstanding arose between them and he choked his mother,” he said.

The court heard that Ms Ngwenya was saved by her elder son who dragged Ngwenya and took him outside the house.

On the following day, Ms Ngwenya reported the matter to the police and Ngwenya was arrested.

The magistrate asked Ms Ngwenya what sentence she wanted her son to be given.

She said community service would be punishment enough.

“I wouldn’t want him to be given a jail sentence. I reported the matter because I could not discipline him,” Ms Ngwenya said.

State Media