A HIGH-ranking Zambian police officer was last week humiliated in the Matero Local Court, Zambia, after it was revealed that he maltreated his girlfriend by always locking away food from her and their baby.
According to Zambia Observer, Irene Mwiya 39, testifying before the Matero Local Court said she moved in with Ndawa Phiri, aged 51, a superintendent about a year ago following the birth of their child after the cop told her that it would be easier for him to provide for the child if they stayed together.
Irene lamented that the father of her child had been starving her by locking away food from her and their child.
She said even in the morning of the day they appeared in court, Ndawa cooked a potful of Nakonde rice but that the baby and herself only managed to inhale the aroma as Ndawa after adding sour milk to the food, ate it alone and locked the leftovers in a spare room.
A neighbour who testified in the matter said that Ndawa was torturing Irene and the baby as though they were recruits. According to her, despite his decent wage, he refused that his family have as small as a spoonful of food.
The neighbour added that even the diaper which the hungry baby rarely soiled due to an empty stomach was donated by neighbours.
“This woman has suffered. She is being starved by her husband and it is worrisome and her health might be compromised.
“The diapers that this baby is wearing was bought by me last night. I bought three of them and I also gave her some clothes for the baby. Even the socks and the cloth the baby is putting on all came from me,”Irene’s neighbour said.
The testimony enraged the court which threatened to cite Ndawa for a serious offence of child neglect and remove the three metal stars on his shoulders as he was an embarrassment.
Ndawa told the court he starved his family so as to force Irene to leave his house. According to him, they were not husband and wife but just cohabiting because he was yet to pay her dowry.
“This woman beats me and my daughter whom she met with me. She is very abusive and I want her out of my house,” Ndawa told the court.
He offered to compensate Irene with anything between a K400 and K500 monthly so that she could leave his house.
However, the court trashed Ndawa’s offer and instead ordered him to pay the woman an initial K2500 and subsequent K700 per month for her upkeep.
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