Man jailed nine years for injuring wife in Rumphi

The First Grade Magistrate’s court in Rumphi has on May 17, 2022 convicted and sentenced Kingsley Kumwenda 36, to 9 years imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of acts intended to cause grievous harm.

Rumphi Police Station’s Prosecutor Inspector Kelvin Ng’ambi told the court that, it all started on November 28, 2021 at Bolero area when Kumwenda bought a head of cow which he cooked with his wife and sell carcass in form of so called *Mang’ina* at beer drinking joints.

In course of their business, a disagreement erupted with his wife which forced her to leave and went to her grandmother where she spent a night.

The following day, the wife decided to go back to her husband’s home for them to settle the matter.

Kumwenda’s wife reached home while the husband was still sleeping. Upon hearing the voice of his wife, Kumwenda woke up and started assaulting her and stabbed her wife with a knife on the private part.

Hearing the noise crying for help, members of community policing and Chikulamayembe Women Forum came to her rescue.

She was then taken to Bolero Health Centre and later referred to Rumphi District Hospital for medical attention.

Later, Kumwenda was arrested and charged with the offence of acts intended to cause grivous harm which contravenes section 235 of the Penal Code.

During court proceedings, Kumwenda pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him. This prompted the state to parade three witnesses who proved the allegation beyond reasonable doubt.

In his submission, Ng’ambi condemned the act portrayed by the culprit as he supposed to protect his wife from forms of violence.

Ng’ambi added that the offence committed was serious and prayed with the court to impose stiff penalty for him to learn.

Kumwenda prayed for leniency saying he is a first offender and breadwinner.

Passing sentence, his Worship Cuthbert Phiri quashed Kumwenda’s mitigation and concurred with state’s submissions. He therefore, slapped the culprit with 9 years imprisonment with hard labour.

The convict comes from Chilongozi Village under Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in Rumphi.