NGCULWINI – A 41-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping his wife as punishment for cheating on him, according to reports by the Eswatini Observer.
The suspect appeared before Manzini Principal Magistrate Florence Msibi last Thursday, where he was charged with two counts of contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 15 of 2018. The alleged offences are said to have occurred on March 18 at Ngculwini.
On the first count, the accused allegedly had unlawful sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent. On the second count, he is accused of contravening Section 77 1 a of the Act after allegedly assaulting her several times with an electric cable and a belt. 
The couple, whose names are known to the publication but withheld for ethical reasons, are said to have been married under Eswatini Law and Custom since March 3, 2014. They share five children.
In her testimony, the complainant told the court that on the night of the incident at about 9pm, she was at home when her husband returned from work. Their children were asleep, except for the youngest, aged five, who was still awake.
She stated that upon entering the house, her husband took her cellphone and went through it. While browsing, he discovered a voice note she had sent to another man with whom she was romantically involved.
“He did not pick my calls, so I sent him a voice note asking if he was home and whether we were still in good terms,” she said.
The court heard that her husband confronted her after listening to the recording and questioned whether she was involved with the other man. She denied the relationship.
According to her evidence, her husband insisted that they call the man. When contacted, the man allegedly denied any romantic involvement and said he only bought food from her occasionally, as she operates a restaurant.
The complainant told the court that the situation then turned violent. She alleged that her husband first used a belt to assault her before switching to an electric cable, striking her all over the body with the plug end.
She said the assault continued until she started bleeding.
“I tried to shout for help, but he did not stop,” she said.
She further told the court that her husband ordered her to wash off the blood.
“He demanded that we should go to bed and told me that he would not use protection so as to impregnate me. He said the fact that I was having an affair meant that I wanted more children,” she said.
The complainant said she informed her husband that they already had many children and that she was in pain following the assault, making her unable to engage in intimacy. Despite her pleas, she told the court, he proceeded.
She maintained that she did not consent to the sexual act and told the court that although she had been unfaithful, it was wrong for her husband to assault her and force himself on her. She said the matter should have been handled through family structures rather than violence.
The complainant also told the court that this was not the first time she had been assaulted by her husband.
The matter continues before the Manzini Magistrates Court.
