MBABANE – A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for assaulting his girlfriend after an argument over food at his home in Fonteyn on December 15, 2025.
The accused appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi at Mbabane Magistrates’ Court facing charges under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act. According to the charge sheet, he grabbed his girlfriend, pushed her to the ground, and struck her once in the mouth with a clenched fist.
At first, the accused denied hitting her, claiming he had only pushed her, but he later changed his plea and admitted to the assault. He represented himself in court.
He told the court that the argument started after he arrived home late and asked his girlfriend to serve him food, which she refused. He claimed she left the house after the disagreement, and he locked the door. When she returned, he said she forced her way inside, leading to the physical altercation.
The complainant, called to testify, confirmed that they had argued but denied provoking the assault. She explained she did not serve him food because she had been asleep and told him to serve himself. She also revealed that they had been in a relationship for about two years, and sometimes stayed at his home after he picked her up from her parents’ house.
Magistrate Nhlabatsi addressed both parties, telling the complainant to avoid conflicts and reminding her that she was not married to the accused. She instructed the accused not to force his girlfriend to do things against her will and to respect her.
During mitigation, the accused told the court the complainant wanted to withdraw the case, but the magistrate refused, stating that allowing withdrawal could put her at risk in the future. He requested leniency, citing that he was a first-time offender and a father of six children from different women.
Considering the severity of domestic violence, the court sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment or a E5,000 fine, suspending three years of the sentence on condition that he does not commit a similar offence or contravene the SODV Act during the suspension period.
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