In a Chadiza Magistrate Court ruling, a 22-year-old husband, Thamison Phiri of Lavu village, has been fined K7,000 or faces 30 months of simple imprisonment for unlawfully wounding 18-year-old Azion Tembo. The incident occurred when Phiri discovered Tembo committing adultery with Phiri’s wife in the shrubs.
Magistrate Fred Munsaka presided over the case, and Phiri admitted to unlawfully wounding Tembo after catching him red-handed with his wife on November 22, 2023, around 20 hours.
Phiri, who had been married to his wife for eight months, expressed his deep distress upon witnessing the act. He resorted to assaulting Tembo with a knife in a fit of anger, leading to injuries on Tembo’s forehead, left ear, and left arm.
During the court proceedings, Phiri explained, “The sight of the boy and my wife having sex in the bush was heart-breaking. Up to now, I am still broken.”
Magistrate Munsaka, in delivering the judgment, emphasized the need for Phiri to manage his anger. He considered Phiri’s use of a knife against an unarmed Tembo as excessive force and dangerous.
As a deterrent to potential offenders, Magistrate Munsaka imposed a K7,000 fine on Phiri, with an alternative of 30 months of simple imprisonment in default. The court ruled that K6,000 would be awarded to Tembo, the complainant, who sustained injuries, and K1,000 would go to the state.