Lusaka man stabs wife on forehead, attempts suicide

Phiri told the court that she got married to Mbewe in 2012 and that the two have no children together.
She said Mbewe is a very jealous and violent man who cannot tolerate another man even greeting her.
Phiri said there was a particular day in March that Mbewe beat her up badly for responding to a greeting extended by a drunken man.
“When we reached home, he started beating me and in the process stabbed me.  He then took doom but recovered from the effects after being admitted to the University Teaching Hospital,”she said.
Phiri told the court that after Mbewe was discharged from the hospital, her mother in-law blamed her for her son’s attempt to take his own life.
“His family even took me to a witchdoctor without my family’s consent. The witchdoctor said I was demon-possessed which is why my husband was driven to attempt suicide,” she said.
She told the court that her mother in-law went to their home and instructed that Phiri goes to live with the mother, this happened in April.  The couple has been on separation since the time.
Phiri told the court that has had four wives before her whom he has divorced.
However, Mbewe pleaded before Senior Court Magistrates Lewis Mumba and Petronella Kalyelye for the court not to grant the divorce.
Mbewe admitted to being violent towards his wife, justifying his actions that it was because she never told him that she was taking ARVs.
“I found out that she was on treatment when I was searching her handbag for money to enable me buy cigarettes. She lied to me that she was on cancer treatment. I know what ARVs look like because I have a workmate who takes them as well,” he said.
He said he went to the clinic and he was found with the virus adding he is also on ARV treatment.
Mbewe asked the court not to grant the divorce because Phiri had infected him with HIV.
The court, however, granted the divorce.

Zambia Daily Mail