Don’t fight over a man, court counsels 2 women
By Esther Chisola
IT’S not worthy it to start fighting for a man because your value is not tied to a man, a Lusaka magistrate has counselled two women of Lusaka.
Mutinta Mwenya handed out the advice to the women after they attacked another woman with a lager beer bottle.
Catherine Tembo and her namesake, Catherine Njobvu, both aged 24 years, and residents of Garden Township are facing three counts of assault, a charge they both admitted.
In count one Tembo and Njobvu, on April 13 this year, in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together allegedly assaulted Maureen Tembo occasioning her actual bodily harm.
In count two, they on May 6 this year, in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together allegedly assaulted Tembo occasioning her actual bodily harm.
And in the last count, Njobvu on the same date in Lusaka is alleged to have unlawfully wounded Dorothy Phiri.
When the matter came up for plea, Tembo and Njobvu admitted to the charges.
They said they fought with Tembo because she was allegedly going out with Njobvu’s husband.
Magistrate Mwenya entered a plea of guilty and accordingly convicted them due upon own admission.
In mitigation, Tembo and Njobvu pleaded for leniency.
However, magistrate Mwenya warmed them to desist from fighting over a man.
“If she went out with your husband, it is wrong. It is also wrong for you to take things in your own hands. Do you understand how serious this is? That bottle went slightly in [the eye] you would be coming here for explanation of a murder case. It’s not worth it to start fighting for a man, your value is not tied to a man, you understand? You are a mother. So you need to think of your children,” Mwenya said.
“I therefore fine accused number one K1,000, in default, three months. Accuses number two, I fine you K2,000 and jailed three months imprisonment, with effect from today in default, six months. The fine to be paid within seven days,” she said.
