MY OWN CHILDREN BEAT ME LIKE A THIEF, LUSAKA WOMAN CRIES TO COURT
A SIXTY-four year old woman of Lusaka has told a harrowing story of pain and suffering in which six of her own children have been ganging up to beat her mercilessly.
Emeldah Mukuka of Lusaka’s Zingalume Compound was in the Matero Local Court on Friday hoping to get help and be rescued from her children.
She has been married to her husband Oswald Menshi, 71 for 46 years and have 10 children together.
However, she complains that her husband has not been able to protect her from the six children who beat her.
“Last time, my children even broke my left arm, it is not functional now. My husband can not say a word. He does not support me or feed me, I have to move around begging for food.
“Only four of my 10 children respect me, the rest dont. And if I die, let them not come to my funeral. I just want to divorce my husband because he can neither support me nor protect me, and I also want him to help me with money to go back to the village,” said Mukula.
In this matter, Mukula sued her husband for divorce.
But in his defence, Menshi said the time when Mukula argues with her children is only when they rebuke her over her drinking habits as everytime she has money, she carelessly spends it on alcohol and even fails to take care of her family.
But Mukula refuted the allegations saying that there has never been a time or state that she failed to take care of her big family.
“For over 40 years I have taken care of you, our children and grandchildren. Your children harass me in your presence and you just watch. Sometimes, you even pretend to be sleeping while they beat me,” said Mukula.
She added that whenever she talks to her children, they respond to her saying that they never applied for them to be given birth.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Harriet Mulenga demanded for the presence of the children in court and adjourned the matter to April 19, 2024 for submission and judgment.
Kalemba