A 35-year-old woman was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with an option of E6 000 fine after pleading guilty to assaulting her husband and mother-in-law and damaging property.
Nosihle Nhleko of Nhlambeni appeared before Principal Magistrate Florence Msibi, where she faced three counts of contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 2018.
The court heard how Nhleko assaulted her mother-in-law Janet Ntombifuthi Dlamini with an open hand on the mouth at Sigombeni on August 23.
Nhleko was also accused of assaulting her husband Sibusiso Dlamini with fists on his body at the same area on August 22. She was further charged with damaging two doors valued at E5 332.85 belonging to her husband.
Nhleko pleaded guilty and in mitigation, through her lawyer, pleaded with the court for leniency, saying she was a first-time offender and asked for an opportunity to turn her life around.
She said she had an unemployed father who depended on her financially. Nhleko further appealed to the court to exercise its discretion when imposing sentence, citing her cooperation with both the police and the court.
Despite her plea for leniency, the court sentenced her to one year imprisonment with an option of E2 000 fine on each of the three counts. The sentences amount to three years’ imprisonment, with an option of E6 000 fine in total.
