Detectives at Mhala police station have finally complied with instructions to add certain information to the docket in a case involving allegations that a justice department official poured boiling water over his wife. Prosecutors in the Mhala Magistrate’s Court had ordered further investigations and the addition of relevant information to the docket before deciding on the next steps.

“In response to your media enquiry regarding a victim allegedly attacked by her spouse, the investigation has been completed as per the prosecutors’ instructions. The case docket was presented to the prosecutors on Monday, January 5, for a decision,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Donald Mdhluli.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, November 20, 2025, when an official in the supply chain section of the Department of Justice at Mhala Magistrate’s Court allegedly poured boiling water over his wife after she refused to cook because she was tired.

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Despite the severity of her injuries, the official has remained free, as the prosecution requested further investigations. Nearly two months after the incident, the suspect has yet to appear in court.

As much as the police investigators have followed the order, the prosecutors still need to make a decision based on the latest information in the docket. A decision will be made, and we will see what the way forward will be under the circumstances,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.

The victim told this publication that she had worked a double shift and was too tired to cook when she returned home. “When my husband arrived, he demanded to know why no food had been prepared,” she said. “I explained that I was exhausted after a double shift. He poured water into a pot, saying he would cook, but once it reached boiling point, he poured it over my body while I was lying on the bed, facing down.”

“I screamed in pain and neighbours who heard me called the police. I was rushed to Thulamahashe Health Centre and later transferred to Mapulaneng Hospital in Bushbuckridge with burns to my shoulders and part of my head,” she added.

The matter was reported to Mhala SAPS, and the victim was informed that her husband would be arrested. However, the suspect spent only a few hours in custody before being released on warning by the investigating officer. She said she received an SMS from the police stating that the suspect had been arrested and would appear in the Mhala Magistrate’s Court on Monday, November 24.

“Shortly afterwards, I received another SMS informing me that the matter had been referred to the senior public prosecutor for a decision. I understood this to mean the prosecutor would decide whether my husband would be prosecuted,” she said.