THE wife of an engineer from Gutu allegedly kidnapped a Harare-based nurse, doused her with petrol before taking her to a bush where she forced her to undergo a pregnancy test as punishment for allegedly having an affair with her husband.
Karen Shenjere, wife to Gutu Rural District Council engineer Vambai Shenjere, teamed up with her friend Mercy Mashava and allegedly kidnapped Vaida Chiripanyanga whom they held hostage for four hours during which they assaulted and stabbed her with a knife.
Shenjere and Mashava, both of Mupandawana Growth Point, were jointly charged with kidnapping but their cases were later separated when they appeared before Gutu resident magistrate Edwin Marecha.
Initially, Shenjere pleaded guilty to kidnapping charges but magistrate Marecha referred her case to the High Court when her victim said she had also been stabbed, assaulted, doused with petrol and forced to undergo a pregnancy test.
Shenjere was remanded in custody to February 8 while Mashava, who is Gutu RDC chief executive officer Alexander Mtembwa’s wife, is out on free bail.
Prosecutor, Millicent Zambawa told the court that on Tuesday last week at around 8PM, Shenjere and Mashava hatched a plan to “punish” Chiripanyanga for having an affair with Engineer Shenjere.
Shenjere allegedly discovered the affair after she intercepted WhatsApp conversations on her husband’s mobile phone.
Impersonating her husband, Shenjere allegedly invited Chiripanyanga to Gutu and she believed that it was her boyfriend.
Shenjere, who had a vehicle, teamed up with Mashava and they went to pick up Chiripanyanga, the court heard.
“When she arrived in Gutu, Chiripanyanga dropped off at Martmars Supermarket where the vehicle was parked. Without due warning, Shenjere came out and poured petrol over Chiripanyanga while accusing her of being a whore and having an affair with her husband,” said Zambawa.
“Shenjere took a match box intending to set her alight but Mashava restrained her saying that wasn’t their plan.”
Zambawa said the two women blindfolded Chiripanyanga before bundling her into the car.
They drove the nurse to a nearby bush while assaulting her, the court heard.
In the bush, the two also allegedly forced Chiripanyanga to urinate into a container and they tested her for pregnancy.
Zambawa said the two kept Chiripanyanga hostage while assaulting and stabbing her with a knife for close to four hours and only released her after midnight.
They also allegedly took away her phone worth $600.
A medical report from Dr Farai Pungweni showed that Chiripanyanga was severely assaulted and chances of permanent injuries were high as she suffered a number of stab wounds.
After she was released, Chiripanyanga went to report the matter at Gutu police station leading to Shenjere and Mashava’s arrest the following morning.
