On April 9, Adv Hashiti, allegedly beat up his wife who had
stumbled upon his conversation on a social media platform with a lady only
identified as Maureen. Sources said when Emma confronted her husband, he
allegedly lost his temper and assaulted her with fists, choked her and pulled her
hair, according to a police report.
Emma then fled the house and went to report the alleged
assault at Borrowdale Police Station.
But the following morning, Adv Hashiti allegedly went to
the police station with Chamisa to try and have the report withdrawn.
Chamisa would not have been accompanying his colleague as a
formal legal advisor or representative since advocates do not deal directly
with clients at first instance, being called in by an attorney or general legal
practitioner to give specialist advice on a point of law or to take the lead in
court proceedings.
Emma is now refusing to follow up her initial report to the
police, although the police are continuing with a criminal investigation, which
does not require the co-operation or consent of the person who made the initial
complaint.
A person who feels they have been wronged can only withdraw
civil proceedings. Criminal proceedings are a matter for the police to
investigate and the National Prosecuting Authority to decide whether there is a
case to bring to court.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said
that after the wife’s report was made, “when the police reacted he locked
himself inside his house. He then went to the police in the company of Chamisa
the following day early in the morning saying the case involved top people and
therefore it was unnecessary to report it.
“However, he was told at the police station that domestic
violence cases are taken to the courts. The wife was advised to bring a medical
report, but she never came back.
“The docket is now at the courts for consideration, but the
wife has become hostile and is no longer cooperating with the police,” said
Asst Comm Nyathi. Neither Chamisa nor Hashiti was picking up their phones
yesterday.
According to a close relative, who preferred to remain
anonymous, the marriage between Mr Hashiti and his wife has been on the rocks
for some time with the couple no longer sharing the same bedroom. Herald
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