In a fit of anger, a man from Bulawayo who is employed as a security guard assaulted his girlfriend with a baton stick all over her body as punishment for deleting her pictures from his phone.

This was heard when Takaindisa Chirimo appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Busani Sibanda charged with physical abuse as defined in Section 3 (1) (a) as read with Section 4 of the Domestic Violence Act Chapter 5:16.

Chirimo, who pleaded not guilty, was remanded in custody to 12 October 2022 for trial. When asked by the magistrate why he used a baton stick to assault his girlfriend, Chirimo denied the accusations saying he assaulted her with fists.

The court heard that on 25 September 2022 and at around 7pm, Chirimo allegedly assaulted his girlfriend Chipo Rukweshe from Harrisvale suburb with a baton stick all over her body after a misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding arose after Rukweshe deleted her pictures from Chirimo’s cellphone.

It is reported that at the height of the misunderstanding, Chirimo assaulted his lover leading her to sustain serious injuries and she was referred to hospital for medication.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Chirimo’s arrest.

In an unrelated incident, a 61-year-old man from Killarney suburb in Bulawayo appeared before the same magistrate facing charges of stealing a wheelbarrow from a man who had failed to pay him for a part-time job he had performed at his house.

Lovemore Ndiweni who pleaded guilty to theft charges was sentenced to four months imprisonment which were wholly suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The court heard that on 23 August 2022, Ndiweni went to Tinotenda Mberikwazo’s house in Killarney suburb to do a part-time job.

After doing the job, Mberikwazvo reportedly failed to pay him before he took his wheelbarrow with the aim of returning it after receiving his payment.

Mberikwazvo then reported the matter to the police leading to Ndiweni’s arrest.

The wheelbarrow worth US$60 was recovered.

-B-Metro