Wife Narrowly Escapes Death for Serving Husband Divorce Papers

A house wife has narrowly escaped death after serving her husband divorce papers.

The incident happened on February 15, just a day after celebration of St Valentine’s Day famed globally as lovers’ day.

Laban Mukombelo 53, of Mkushi in the Central Province of Zambia could not stomach being served the divorce papers by his wife Eunice Kabamba, 50.

He thus decided to axe her on several spots of her body, taking to his heels afterwards.

The attack left the wife with severe injuries to the point of near death before neigbours rallied to her help.

Kabamba launched a report with the police in the area on February 17, Kabamba saying she was attacked by Mukombelo on February 15, around 14:00 hours, the Zambian Observer informs.

Mukombelo informed the police that the man had been angered by the divorce papers she served him, due to ongoing marital disputes between them.

Mukombe used the axe and inflicted severe injuries on the woman, before fleeing.

It took the spirited efforts of neigbours to save the life of the woman as she sustained cuts to her head, eye, cheek, and damage to three teeth.

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She spent a night at the hospital before being discharged, with the injuries as nightmarish reminder.

“Investigations revealed that following marital disputes which the couple has been having for some time, Kabamba decided to sue Mukombelo for divorce in the local court but upon being served with the summons, Mukombelo got angry, picked up an axe and started hitting his wife on her head, causing her to suffer serious injuries,” Police deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale said, while confirming the incident.

Reports quote the Victim Support Unit of the Zambia police as reporting Gender Based Violence (GBV) to be rampant in the country.

It reported a 29% increase in cases in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, from 7,920 to 10,241

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Triggers, according to activists, include poverty, women’s power disadvantage in relationships, and social  acceptance of GBV as key factors leaving many women vulnerable to abusive spouses,  workmates, male relatives, and well-off individuals