Man jailed for hacking ex-wife’s lover

A Court in Nkhotakota on Friday jailed a man for four years for mercilessly hacking a friend who was having an affair with his ex-wife.

According to Nkhotakota Police spokesperson Williams Kaponda, the convict, George Kavinyanga Phiri was arrested on August 19 this year after he attacked the victim, Clifford Chirwa.

Kaponda said Phiri was suspicious that his then wife was having a love affair with the victim and this later resulted to the couple’s separation.

After the split, Phiri went to the ex-wife’s parents’ house asking for a reunion but the ex-wife refused.

On his return from the ex-wife’s compound, Phiri met the alleged lover and without hesitation he stabbed the victim who sustained a deep cut on the abdomen.

“Phiri swiftly disappeared from the scene but he had already been identified by the victim,” said Kaponda.

The victim Clifford Chirwa was rushed to Saint Annes Mission Hospital where he was admitted for about three weeks.

Phiri was arrested and charged with an offence of causing grievous harm contrary to section 238 of the penal code. In court, he was convicted of the charges.

After the conviction, state prosecutor Charles Mussolin Mughogho asked the court to hand Phiri a stiff punishment.

“These cases are becoming worse as such people need to learn to take necessary measures to resolve misunderstandings unlike taking laws in their hands,” said Mughogho.

Nkhotakota First Grade Magistrate Fred Juma Chilowetsa told the convict that he is a threat to the community hence deserved custodial sentence.

“It is just by God’s grace that we see the victim here otherwise would’ve been dead looking at the wounds. The case has an option of fine but in your case custodial sentence is much preferred,” said Chilowetsa.

He then sentenced Phiri to four years imprisonment with hard labour.

The convict who has started serving his sentence at Nkhotakota prison hails from Chikanje village, Senior Chief Kanyenda in Nkhotakota district.