Wife angry at hubby's jail time

2003-05-26 10:57

Giyani - A Limpopo woman whose husband stabbed her more than 100 times is furious that he was jailed for only six years.

Tsakani Chauke, 32, an administration clerk in the Giyani regional education department, said she was struggling to understand the court's reasons for giving her husband, Joe Mbhazima Chauke, 38, six years instead of life.

She said he had admitted in court that he'd wanted to kill her.

"I would have preferred to see him going to jail for the rest of his life so his two children could realise what type of a father he was," said Chauke.

The Giyani regional court sentenced Chauke to an effective six years' imprisonment on May 15 after finding him guilty of attempted murder.

The court's ruling considered that Chauke had pleaded guilty and that he wrote letters of apology to his wife, the court and his mother-in-law.

He also wrote that he would accept any sentence the magistrate deemed fit for him.

The court told Chauke he had shown remorse for his actions and would send him away for six years to give him a chance to be rehabilitated.

Believed his wife was cheating

It also took into consideration that he had been behind bars for almost two years while awaiting trial.

Chauke's wife was stabbed more than 100 times outside the couple's home in the suburb of Kremetart in Giyani in June 5, 2001, but lived to tell the tale.

It turns out Chauke, who was cheating on his wife, believed that she, too, was cheating on him.

He admitted to the court that he had stabbed her and then run her over with his car as she lay helpless on the ground.

His alleged lover, Anna Mathonsi, 32, is accused of taking part in the stabbing.

She has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and is out on bail. Her trial is scheduled to take place on June 3.

Meanwhile, Chauke still faces several charges of housebreaking in the same court after being accused of using pupils from the school where he taught to burgle houses in Giyani.

The case is set down for five days from June 30 to July 4.

Chauke taught at Hanyani Thomo High School at Thomo village about 20km northeast of Giyani.

- African Eye