WINDHOEK – A cleaner who allegedly beat his police officer wife two months ago was granted bail of N$1 500 in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The accused, 55-year-old Arbanus Mutumbulwa left court close to tears after Magistrate Surita Savage granted him bail. He paid the bail minutes later and went home.
The State alleges that on March 30, Mutumbulwa assaulted his wife, Hilia Nepolo, who happens to be a police officer.
Mutumbulwa faced a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, read with section 21 of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act 4 of 2003. He was also charged with assault by uttering a threat. A phone call started the confrontation on March 30.
During the bail hearing he informed the court his wife came into the room and found him talking on the phone.
He said his wife then asked who he was talking to and when she realised it was one of his daughters she walked out of the room.
He claimed his wife Nepolo later insulted his mother and her words angered him such that he grabbed her by the shoulder.
The accused narrated that his wife “then hit me with a fist and grabbed my testicles. I asked her to let go of me because I was in pain but she refused. I punched her three times and I saw that she was bleeding.”
Mutumbulwa made his first appearance on April 2 when he was denied bail but he then filed a formal bail application.
The matter was remanded to July 9 and the accused was warned not to contact his wife Nepolo.
Mbushandje Ntinda, from Sisa Namandje & Co represented the accused. The prosecutor was Peter Kandjumbwa.
By Tunomukwathi Asino