In a harrowing tale of domestic abuse and marital discord, a woman in Harare has accused her ex-husband of making threats to burn her alive. Sihle Madzorera, a mother of two, appeared before the Harare Civil Court with a chilling account of her former spouse, Samuel Makoni’s violent behaviour.
Madzorera, visibly shaken, recounted the ordeal she has been subjected to since the dissolution of their marriage. “This man refuses to accept the divorce. Every time he sees me, he wants to hit me with an iron bar or chase me with a knife. He even said he wants to burn me alive so that I die,” she told the court.
The allegations of abuse have sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about the prevalence of domestic violence in Zimbabwe. According to statistics from the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, one in three women in the country experiences some form of domestic violence. The harsh reality is that Madzorera’s story is far from unique.
In her testimony, Madzorera described how her ex-husband’s behaviour has escalated since their separation. She alleges that Makoni has made repeated threats against her life, leaving her in a constant state of fear. “I can’t even go to the shops without looking over my shoulder,” she said.
Makoni, however, denies the allegations and claims that Madzorera is the one who is behaving badly. He accuses her of trying to get a protection order to hide her own wrongdoing. “After we failed to reconcile, we went to the police for help. We were assigned a police officer who gave us advice. Three days later, I was surprised to see that same police officer leaving his house in the morning, indicating that he had spent the night there,” Makoni said in court.
Makoni further alleges that Madzorera has been in a relationship with the police officer who was assigned to their case. “I went home and asked him why he was behaving like that when we were trying to get our relationship back on track. He was dating someone who was supposed to help us reconcile. I never insulted or assaulted him, contrary to her claims,” he added.
The court heard how Makoni has not even told his parents about the situation, urging the magistrate to grant Madzorera the protection order as he is moving on with his life after witnessing such “horrific” behaviour.
Magistrate Meenal Narotam granted Madzorera the protection order, stating that she believed the woman’s testimony and that there was enough evidence to suggest that she was in danger. “I find that the applicant has established a prima facie case for the grant of a protection order. The respondent’s behaviour constitutes domestic violence, and I am satisfied that the applicant is in need of protection,” Narotam said.
The ruling has been met with relief from Madzorera, who hopes that it will bring an end to the abuse she has suffered. “I just want to live in peace, without fear of being attacked or harmed by my ex-husband,” she said.
