The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has slapped a 41-year-old man of Lusaka’s 10 Miles area with a K500 fine for wife beating.

Brighton Mweemba, a mechanical engineer, has also been ordered to compensate his ex-wife K1,000 and in default, six months simple imprisonment.

Mweemba was charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Particulars of the offence are that on March 18, last year, Mweemba did assault Inonge Muzungu, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Inonge, the complainant and also the accused’s ex-wife, had testified that on the material day her husband sent her to take eggs for hatching at her sister’s place in Kabulonga.

She said on her way back, she called the accused because she wanted the codes for the GoTV for her to pay, but his phones were off.

Inonge said she then called the accused’s cousin who was at home and he gave her the code.

She testified that on her way, the accused called her and asked where she was and when she told him that she was around SOS, the accused asked her to pick him at G3 along Great North road and she picked him.

Inonge had further testified that the moment the accused got in the vehicle, he started shouting at her and asked why she had called his cousin and not him.

“In the vehicle, I was with our three children. The moment Mweemba got in the vehicle, he started shouting at me and asked as to why I had called his cousin and not him. All the way, he was shouting and scolding at me,” she had testified.

Inonge said that when they reached home, the accused started beating her and was only rescued by people who were around.

She said she had sustained a swollen cheek and general body pains.

“When we reached the house, the children dropped and went in the house. Mweemba started beating me while I was down. I shouted for help and was rescued by people around. I bled from the nose. I went into the car and drove to the police where I reported and was issued with a medical report form. And also went to the clinic where I was attended to. I sustained a swollen cheek and general body pains,” Inonge said.

And when the matter came up for judgement before Magistrate Alice Walusiku, Tuesday, Mweemba, through his lawyer, begged for maximum leniency in mitigation.

He said he had used the time he was in custody to reflect on his actions and he regretted what he did to the complainant.

“We submit that the convict is the first time offender who deserves mercy from this court. The convict has been in custody from the time he was convicted and has used this time to reflect on his actions. He regrets what he did to the complainant. We beg that the court considers a fine and for maximum leniency,” said Mweemba through his lawyer.

And passing judgement, Magistrate Walusiku said she had taken into consideration what the accused said in his mitigation, but noted that what he did was regrettable.

She said if one was provoked by the spouse, it was better to pull back than resorting to assault.

She fined the accused K500, to be given to the State.

Magistrate Walusiku further fined him K1,000 as compensation to the complainant and in default, six months simple imprisonment.