A Bulawayo-based cop was shamed for “stealing” his wife’s underwear supposedly to take them to a sangoma for ritual purposes.
The disgrace was made public at the Bulawayo Civil Court where Locardia Hove made an application for a protection order against her husband, Freedom Hove, a police officer, accusing him of being violent towards her.
Locardia claimed her abusive husband based at ZRP Nkulumane was also in the habit of assaulting her in front of their children aged five and eight years respectively.
“I am the applicant in this matter and the respondent Freedom Hove is my husband. He is based at ZRP Nkulumane. He is of a violent nature and he is always assaulting me in front of our children and this affects them emotionally.
“He also took my documents and underwear without my consent. He went on to accuse me of being a witch and banned me from cooking for our kids saying I might poison them,” complained Locardia, adding that she was now living in fear of her husband as they were no longer in talking terms.
Spiritedly begging for a protection order to be granted in her favour, Locardia further said Freedom was no longer sleeping at home.
“He is now coming home after two days only to change and whenever he comes, he will be violent,” she said.
In his response, Freedom didn’t deny his wife’s accusations before he consented to the granting of the protection order in her favour.
By his consent presiding magistrate Jeconiah Ncube granted the protection order which refrains Freedom from verbally and physically assaulting his wife.
He also ordered him not take his wife’s property without her consent.