Rusape Woman Sentenced for Assaulting Husband Over Love Text Message
- Chipo Basira
- 24 Apr, 2026
Rusape Woman Sentenced for Assaulting Husband Over Love Text Message
A 26-year-old woman from Rusape was sentenced last week to six months in jail, with part of the term suspended, after she assaulted her husband when he saw a love message from another man on her phone.
Nyarai Annah Madondo appeared before Rusape provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe facing two counts of physical abuse under the Domestic Violence Act (Chapter 5.16). She pleaded guilty to assaulting her husband, Washington Madondo, 32. The couple has four children.
The court heard that the first incident happened on March 10, 2026, at around 4pm at the couple’s home in Rusape.
Prosecutor Faith Mutukwa said the two were watching television when a WhatsApp love message appeared on Nyarai’s phone while Washington was using it.
Nyarai demanded her phone back, but Washington refused and went outside. She followed him and struck him once on the right shoulder with a metal hoe handle and several times on the face with her fists. Washington sustained a swollen forehead and right shoulder and left the homestead.
The second assault happened when Washington returned home on March 11, 2026, at around 12am.
Nyarai again demanded her phone. After he refused, she took a cooking stick and hit him several times on the head.
He sustained another swollen forehead but was not medically examined.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Nyarai’s arrest.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mahwe suspended five months of the six-month jail term for five years on condition that she does not commit a similar offence. The remaining one month was set aside on condition that Madondo completes 140 hours of community service at St Killian’s High School.
Madondo was unrepresented during the hearing.
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