A deeply troubling case unfolded at the Harare Civil Court where a woman identified as Dephine Maregedze, whose life had recently been overshadowed by fear and sorrow, took a brave step.
Her purpose was clear: to seek protection from her husband, Moses Musapatika, whose actions had turned their once-nurturing relationship into a dangerous battleground.
Dephine’s voice quivered as she recounted the terrifying threats she had endured.
She told Magistrate Meenal Naratom that her husband had taken to demanding the return of the lobola money he had paid for her—a traditional bride price that had once symbolized the union of their lives. However, the demand had taken on a dark and menacing tone.
“My husband,” Dephine explained, “is constantly threatening me with a gun. He says if I do not repay the lobola money, he will shoot and k!ll me.
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He also warns that if I attempt to file for a divorce, it will be the end for me. He claims that I don’t deserve him and that he did me a favor by marrying me.”
Dephine’s words painted a harrowing picture of a relationship that had deteriorated into a cycle of intimidation and vi0lence.
She described an existence filled with daily abuse, where physical violence had become an unfortunate norm. “He hits and slaps me frequently,” she revealed, her voice steady despite the pain behind her words.
Moses Musapatika responded to these allegations.
In a marked contrast to Dephine’s vivid accounts, Moses vehemently denied ever threatening his wife with a firearm. “I have never thre@tened to shoot my wife,” he declared, his voice firm but carrying an undercurrent of defensiveness.
He continued, “The idea of separation was never my proposal. I made it clear that I did not want our relationship to end this way.”
As the proceedings unfolded, Magistrate Naratom listened attentively, acknowledging the severity of the situation and the urgent need for intervention.
In a decision that reflected her understanding of the gravity of Dephine’s plight, Magistrate Naratom granted the protection order Dephine had sought.
This legal measure offered Dephine a degree of security, providing her with a shield against the thre@ts and @buse she had suffered.
