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ANOTHER MAGISTRATE ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING WIFE

07/11/2019 02:09:00 BY JABULISA DLAMINI

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MANZINI - Yet another magistrate has been accused of abusing his wife.

The physical abuse is alleged to have become a constant occurrence to a point where the wife, who is a civil servant, allegedly fractured her arm.
The magistrate, who cannot be named for now as no charges have been preferred against him, allegedly assaulted and further harassed his wife who eventually rushed to court to seek an interdict.

An order was issued by Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati at the Mbabane Magistrates Court interdicting and restraining the magistrate from physically and emotionally abusing his wife.

Information gathered was that the two are currently on separation following a litany of issues which affected their relationship.
It has been alleged that the couple had been separated for three months when the court order was issued on May 29, 2019.
The interdict precedes a dramatic scene that was witnessed yesterday at the couple’s home around the Manzini Region, where police had to be called to intervene.

Refused

This was after the wife was allegedly refused entry to the house she shared with the magistrate before their separation.
She said upon arrival at the homestead at around 10am, she was allegedly locked out of the house by the helper after she (wife) had spotted another woman inside.

The helper is said to have informed the wife that she was acting on the instruction of the magistrate not to open the house for her.
The wife said she had gone there to get her child’s report card and a dress, since she had moved out to a government house after the court order.

“I had no choice but to call the police. This was after my husband’s brothers and relatives had arrived and intimidated me. They eventually opened the house, however, the woman had been locked in another room, since the house is big,” she alleged.

The wife said she later saw the brothers whisking the woman away in a car and she said she had to wait for six hours outside the locked house as she wanted to see the woman who was inside.
This publication visited the couple’s home at around 3pm after receiving a call about the commotion.

Upon reaching the gate, this reporter found a white police sedan which was parked near the main entrance.
Outside the car were three men, two police officers and the wife, and they seemed to be engaged in a serious discussion.

When the three men spotted this publication’s car, they tried to signal to the security guard to close the gate. When questioned later as to why she went to their home when she and her husband had differences, the wife said she believed she had every right to do so.

“Legally, I am still his wife so there is no problem with me going there. I have the right to demand that the house be opened whenever I come, that is why I sat outside from 10am till after lunch,” she said.

Abusive

Before the court order was issued, the woman had alleged in court that her husband started being physically and emotionally abusive from 2014.
She confirmed, however, that she ended up not opening a case despite the fact that she was advised to do so.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Superintendent Phindile Vilakati was called yesterday evening on the visit by the two officers to the couple’s home but she was not in a position to respond.

Vilakati stated that she would only be able to check details of the matter today as it was already late when this publication contacted her.
When the magistrate was called for comment, his phone rang unanswered. The last call was made at 9:45pm.

Just three weeks ago, the media had been abuzz about a magistrate who was accused by his wife of allegedly assaulting her to the point that she had to be admitted to the Mbabane Clinic.

After the incident, Women and Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) marched together with other women to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) Headquarters to demand that the magistrate be arrested.

The women marched again to the police where they met with the national commissioner of police (NATCOM) William Dlamini early last week. The NATCOM is said to have informed the women that he was still consulting with stakeholders since it was a complicated matter due to the fact that the complainant did not lay charges. The women were invited to return to the NATCOM again on November 14, 2019 for another engagement where there would be other stakeholders.