A Harare man, Zecharia Chigumira, has been issued a protection order after his wife, Cairo Kurima, successfully petitioned the Harare Civil Court, citing his bizarre behaviour of walking around their home naked in the presence of their children.
The court heard harrowing testimony detailing not only Chigumira’s unusual habit but also his denial of conjugal rights to his wife and the resulting emotional trauma suffered by the family.
Kurima’s testimony painted a disturbing picture of family life. She described the unbearable trauma her children are experiencing as a result of their father’s actions.
“He is in the habit of walking around the house naked, in front of the children, yet he has been denying me my conjugal rights,” she told the court.
The fear that her husband’s behaviour might escalate to the point of him raping one of their children weighs heavily on Kurima.
“Our children are still minors and they are being affected by his actions and I am afraid he will end up raping them,” she added, highlighting the severity of her concerns.
The situation has clearly taken a toll on Kurima. She explained to the court that attempts to address Chigumira’s behaviour have resulted in physical abuse.
“I want a protection order against him because whenever I try to reprimand him, he breaks glasses and threatens to kill me,” she stated.
The protection order, granted by the court, aims to safeguard Kurima and her children from further harm.
Chigumira appearing before Magistrate Judith Taruvinga and offered a plea for forgiveness as well as a promise to change his ways.
“I apologise for my behaviour, I will change and respect the court’s order,” he said, and acknowledged the gravity of his actions.
However, he remained silent when questioned about the origins of his unusual behaviour. The court did not delve into the reasons behind Chigumira’s actions, focusing instead on the immediate need to protect the family.
Magistrate Taruvinga, in her ruling, delivered a stern warning to Chigumira, emphasizing the importance of protecting his children from further emotional distress.
