Warrap: Woman assaulted by co-wife demands divorce
April 16, 2013 (WAU) – A woman in South Sudan’s Warrap state is demanding divorce from the husband, after his other wife allegedly poured on her hot water during a slight domestic brawl.
The bizarre incident, relatives said, occurred on 2 April in Pinydit village, Gogrial East country, while the victim, Abuk Yel, is currently admitted at a clinic in Western Bahr el Ghazal state.
Yel, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, said her co-wife had prior to the incident requested for a specific cooking pot, but declined when told to wait for another one, since the one she wanted was stuffed.
“Our husband then asked me to give her the cooking pot and I told him that there is something in the cooking pot. It was during this time that my co-wife identified as Nyanut Mawien, went in and took a kettle used for boiling water from the kitchen and started boiling water,” she explained.
The victim, a mother of two, claimed her husband later summoned her and asked who owned the cooking pot Nyanut requested for.
“(..) As I responded, he [husband] just got up and started beating me. My brother came to separate us. As I was running away, I met the wife (co-wife) at the door and she poured the hot water on me, burning my face and neck,” Yel, who was severely burnt, added.
She said her husband, despite the injuries she sustained, did not bother to rush her to the health facility, and the situation was only rescued after her brothers came in handy.
But Malek Chol, the victim’s husband denies any involvement in the matter, saying both women were his wives and there was no reason to harm them.
“You know they are my wives. This was why I came to visit her [in the clinic]. The other issue [of divorce] she is telling you [about] is not the priority now. Let her recover first. We shall discuss other things later. What is important is life”, Chol told Sudan Tribune in a separate interview.
Nyanut, police say, has been arrested and is helping with further investigations in to the matter.
(ST)