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Ivan Zhakata Court Reporter
A HARARE man whipped his wife for claiming that she was a virgin before he married her after he discovered that she was not during their honeymoon, the Civil Court has heard.

The court heard that after Shepherd Musekiwa discovered that his wife, Patricia, was not a virgin during their honeymoon and he lashed her as punishment with a whip he bought in Mbare.

Patricia was seeking a protection order against Shepherd. She also told magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko that Shepherd had also resorted to “manufacturing” allegations against her in a bid to divorce her and bring in his girlfriend.

“I am suffering in my marriage,” Patricia said. “My husband bought a whip which he uses to assault me and I have scars on my back as proof of his abuse. He is chasing me out of our matrimonial house.

“Each time he wants to bring home his girlfriends, he manufactures allegations against me and lashes me with his whip so that I run out of the house, creating space for him and his girlfriend.

“He calls me all sorts of derogatory names and he labels me a prostitute.”

Shepherd denied the allegations.

He told the court that he has never abused his wife despite “a few marital disputes that occurred”.

“The main problem is that she lied to me that she was a virgin before I married her, only to find out that she was not after the wedding,” Shepherd said.

“She used to deny me sex before I married her saying she was saving herself for marriage but she was lying. I have never abused her in any way except that we only have marital disputes just like any other family.”

Mrs Mateko ordered Shepherd to stop abusing his wife in any way and to keep peace with her at all times.