A preacher outside and a woman basher in the home!

While some were devoting themselves to their evening devotions, a chaplain staying at ZRP Ross Camp who couldn’t practice what he teaches his congregation was administering a Tom and Jerry stunt on her wife forcing her to run for dear life while he chased after her with stones and clenched fists.

This came to light at the Tredgold magistrates courts on Monday where the couple seemed keen on laying their dirty laundry to the courts with the chaplain not embarrassed of randomly saying: “hantsho wathi ngiyakuncitsha (you said I don’t give you sex),” to his estranged wife.

The ordeal started when Strike Tshongwe (30) suspected his wife Phephisane Tshongwe (28) of infidelity. It was fuelled on 31 January around 10pm when he peeped in her phone and saw a particular “Babongile” that was constantly chatting with her.

“He tried snatching my phone saying he wanted to see this Babongile that I was talking to but I refused with my phone.

All of a sudden he started beating me and demanding to see my phone,” said Phephisane.

The court heard that in fury and defence, Phephisane rushed outside to where Strike’s car was parked and lit a fire under one of the seats in a bid to burn the car.

When Strike saw what was happening he reportedly hurried outside and put out the fire. After he was done, he allegedly started battering Phephisane even more than he did in the house.

“He punched me using fists on my face. I tried to run away going towards the police station to report him but it didn’t stop him.

He started picking up stones and throwing them towards me.

“He followed me all the way to ZRP Mzilikazi still assaulting me. He left me by the gate saying even if I reported him he would not get arrested,” said Phephisane.

Phephisane, who was seeing her husband’s other side, suffered wounds on her knees and sustained a swollen forehead and mouth.

Strike pleaded guilty before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja and was remanded out of custody to 19 February.

Recently, a similar incident occurred at Ross Camp where another police officer publicly assaulted his wife after accusing her of communicating with her ex-boyfriend on WhatsApp.