A woman of Nampundwe who was receiving treatment for stab wounds at a rural health center shocked police when she ran away from the facility to go and plead with the officers to release her husband after he was arrested for allegedly attempting to kill her and her one-year-old baby.
Ireen Chuundu had been rushed to Nampundwe rural health center by members of the public and her sister after her husband, identified as Isaac Kasoma, allegedly stabbed her in her thigh two times before he attempted to kill the baby by squeezing its neck and dipping the toddler’s head in a bucket of water.
According to Police sources in Shibuyunji, the suspect was dragged to the police station by angry members of the public who complained that he had stabbed his wife and injured his baby.
“Before we could even start investigating the matter, woman came to the station and pleading that we release her husband because he was her sole provider as well as a breadwinner of her family and his.
“We did not see any injuries on her. She claimed that her husband did not assault her in any way and we released him. We do not have a complainant in this matter,” the police source said.
Nampundwe social welfare cash transfer Chairperson, Siophar Jamba said he accompanied members of the public to the rural health center where the victim was being attended to.
“The victim and her baby were injured by their husband and father, respectively. The suspect allegedly stabbed his wife and squeezed his one-year-old baby before dipping her in water. I left the health personnel attending to the patients,” Jamba said.
He said that to his supprise, he was informed that the victim had left the health center and denied being assaulted by the suspect.
Jamba said when he followed up on the issue, he was informed that the victim had even traveled to the Copperbelt with the baby while the suspect was released on police bond.
The victim’s sister, Maureen Chuundu said it is true that the suspect is the breadwinner in the family but had no rights to cause injuries on the wife and baby.
GET MORE NEWS UPDATES
“As family, we wanted justice to prevail in the matter. My sister informed me that her husband attempted to kill her and the baby because he was claiming that they were a burden to him. At first, I thought it was a joke until he stabbed her,” she said.
Chuundu said her sister left the area because she did not want police to see her wounds and arrest her husband.
-Zambia Daily Mail