A 33-YEAR-OLD man of Ndola has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting his 39-year-old girlfriend with a bottle on suspicions that she had an intimate relationship with another man.

Phiri was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm (OABH) after he attacked Chimungu.

After Chimungu did not pick his calls, Phiri, who was co-habiting with her, came to the conclusion that perhaps she was having an affair with another man.

State prosecutor Juliet Mwengani told Ndola magistrate Brian Simachela that on the day he assaulted her, he found her home.

“When the girlfriend went to prepare supper, Phiri followed her and beat her using a broken bottle which resulted in her sustaining injuries on the body including the face,” she said.

Phiri admitted that he made a mistake by beating his girlfriend using a broken bottle as he was drunk.

Magistrate Simachela said that he was glad that the convict admitted committing the offence but also noted that his action was barbaric and there was need to punish him to deter would-be offenders.