An 18 year old Malawian woman in Mchinji is battling for her life after sustaining serious injuries following severe battering by her husband on allegation that she was cheating on him.
The woman Linda Phulani was beaten with chains and steet rods to a pulp by her husband John Yasini.
The woman has deep cuts on her buttocks and her back. She hails from Kumbuyo village, Tembwe in traditional authority (TA) Mlonyeni in the district.
A visit to Mchinji hospital by Malawi News Agency (Mana) found the woman crying in pain due to deep and horrific wounds on her body.
Mchinji District Hospital officials said Linda lost a lot of blood and will need blood transfusion and an operation on the wounds.
Linda could not talk to Mana but in a police statement she said she was beaten by her husband when she went to see her friend in the same neighborhood without her husband’s consent.
The statement further states that since she got married in January this year, her husband did not allow her to visit friends.
But on Thursday, April 16th Linda went to visit a neighbour, when she came back the husband accused her of going out with other men and beat her and left her for dead.
Linda’s father Willy Phulani told Mana that the family has been receiving reports of his daughter’s rocky marriage and they sent relatives to check on her, but she assured them that she was fine.
“Our daughter eloped with the man without our consent and we have been hearing reports that she was in an abusive marriage,” he said.
The husband is in police custody at Mchinji Police.
He told Mana that he has been hearing rumours about his wife’s infidelity and on Thursday he found his wife undressed at their home at Tembwe in T/A Mlonyeni and suspected she was with another man.
“I am a good person and have never committed any crime in my life. I did not intend to harm my wife; it is the work of the devil. I wish her well, in fact am the one who took her to a local clinic in our area when I saw her injuries,” narrated a shabby looking Saini.
Mchinji police Public Relations Officer said Yasini will be charged with unlawful wounding and is expected to appear before the court this week.
**Reporting by Sarah Munthali
