Chifubu PF member of parliament Frank Ng’ambi’s second wife Mubanga Chikumo is battling for her life in Luanshya Hospital after the lawmaker clobbered her in a domestic dispute, leaving her with a broken jaw, according to relatives.

But Ng’ambi, who is in polygamous marriage, told News Diggers that his second wife is perfectly fine at home and that nothing of that sort happened, apart from the fact that she suffered “High BP” on the material day.

Meanwhile, Ng’ambi has been granted K2,000 bail in his own recognizance after pleading not guilty to assault in the Ndola Magistrates’ Court.

In an interview, brother to the victim Nicholas Chikumo narrated to News Diggers that the PF parliamentarian had been physically, psychologically and emotionally abusing his wife.

“The issues of domestic abuse in their home are not new. This whole thing started on 7th June somewhere there. She had gone for a function in Kitwe with her friends for some Chilanga Mulilo (pre-marital ceremony) which they were taking. So she was helping her friend because she also has got a daughter who is getting married within two months time. So when they were taking that Chilanga Mulio to Kitwe, she had not informed him that she was going. And on the way back, the vehicle they were in had a breakdown which led to a delay in them arriving back home,” Chikumo said.

“That was where the issue started from. When she arrived home, she found him angry and they had an altercation. She was battered at home and the children were there. I live in Lusaka and I was called home in Ndola because the situation was not good. After battering her, he took her back to my mother. So when we took her to the hospital, she was not attended to as they asked for a police report.”

Chikumo further narrated that after learning about the incident, the family immediately rushed the victim to Luanshya Hopsital where she was admitted.

“On the material day when I took her to the hospital and that was on Monday this week, I took her to Luanshya Hopsital where she was admitted and at that point we had not even obtained a police report but when we arrived, the doctor looked at her and examined her and immediately admitted her because the situation was not good.

He said when the MP heard that his wife had been taken to the hospital, he followed and told the doctor that she had fallen down.

“[On] the same evening, he came through the hospital and the first thing he asked was ‘bushe finshi balwele (what is she sick of)?’ and then he said ‘she fell.’ But I believe you have seen the pictures of her and how she looks, surely can someone who fell look like that? The doctor immediately said I am admitting her because she is in severe pain. We went into the doctor’s office and he introduced himself and asked about what was wrong with the patient? He said ‘are there any broken bones? Is there any physiological damage?’ so the doctor then said ‘at this point I cannot answer that because I am still trying to manage her pain levels and once she is comfortable, maybe tomorrow, [then] I will be able to give you an answer’,” Chikumo further narrated.

Chikumo accused Ng’ambi of attempting to stub his wife.

“As we were talking, he now started saying ‘if I had not brought your sister back that day, I would have taken a knife and stabbed her. For me I am a very aggressive man [and] I do whatever I want. No one can tell me what to do, maybe just the President. I can do what I want, I am chairman for intelligence, I tap phones, I tap into the WhatsApp and I can listen to calls.’ Then I said ‘look, even if you have a problem in the home, you don’t need to do this.’ And he said ‘mulemona kwati nimboma (you think I have beaten her)? Apa nimushamo (this is nothing). You didn’t hear the time I was beating her with hang wires?’ So enough is enough and this man needs to be brought to justice because no one is above the law,” complained Chikumo.

But when called to react to the allegations, Ng’ambi said nothing of that sort had happened and that his wife was fine and at home.

“Whatever is in there is not the truth and there was no fight. There was no fight at all,” Ng’ambi said before this reporter could even finish asking the question.

“If you look at it, others are saying that I have built flats [and] others are saying that I move with a PF cadre. The whole thing is just malicious. She is at home. She just had high BP. So whatever is on social media is not correct. You know we are public figures [and] people speculate. If you want you can also call her and find out where she is. Everybody is doing normal business [here] and it’s just the problem of you guys the media. You know the media is polarised now. Someone can pick up anything and start a story.”

When asked if he could put his wife on the phone to confirm his story, Ng’ambi said: “I am not at home, once I speak to her, I will let you speak to her as well. I have your number. So I will call you because I will only be home around 15:00 hrs,” Ng’ambi defended himself.

But Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga, Thursday, said police had received a report of Ng’ambi assaulting his wife and had since summoned him to police.

“It was reported in Luanshya. That is where we had that report where the second wife to the Chifubu area MP was assaulted and was hospitalised at Mine Hospital in Luanshya. She was discharged yesterday in the morning and the case has since been transferred to Ndola where the incident occurred. The report [is] regarding the area member of parliament honourable Frank Ng’ambi who assaulted his second wife. I am not sure of the [victim’s] name. He (MP) has been summoned [but] I don’t know this time [if he has been charged yet] you can call later for an update and I will be able to confirm with you. But call-outs were already issued yesterday,” said Katanga.

Meanwhile, Ng’ambi appeared in the Ndola Magistrates’ Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to one count of assault on a woman.

Particulars of the offence are that Ng’ambi on June 7, 2019 in Ndola did assault Mubanga Chikomo Ng’ambi.

When the matter came up for plea before Ndola Magistrate Chinga Chitabo Friday morning, Ng’ambi pleaded not guilty.

“I understand the charge. I deny the charge,” said Ng’ambi.

His lawyer Kenneth Tembo then applied for bail pending trial.

Magistrate Chitabo then granted Ng’ambi bail pending trial.

“I grant you bail of K2,000 in your own recognizance with two working sureties,” Magistrate Chitabo said.

The matter was adjourned to July 11, 2019 for commencement of trial.