[Watch] “You Can Get Out” – Zahnita Wilson Opens Up About Abuse Allegations In Heart-Tugging Interview
Zahnita Wilson told MelodiTV3 about her experience living with domestic violence and what prompted her to make plans and take steps to leave.
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The husband of well-known model and actress Zahnita Wilson was charged at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with voluntarily causing injury to his wife and administering drugs.
Abd Zackery Ghouse Abd Gafoor, 46, pleaded not guilty to voluntarily causing injury to his wife, Zahnita Dorothy Hussein Wilson, 39, at a house in Lorong Indera Mahkota, Kuantan around 8.20am on 7 May.
The father of four was charged under Sections 323 and 326A of the Penal Code, which provides a year’s imprisonment or a fine up to RM2,000 or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor, B. Deevagaran Naidu, offered a bail of RM5,000 with one surety. However, Abd Zackery’s lawyer Muhammad Amirull Afiqq Mohamad Lokman appealed for a lower bail because his client is supporting his children, including an autistic child, and his 71-year-old mother who has heart disease.
Magistrate Tengku Eliana Tengku Kamaruzaman set the bail at RM4,000 with one surety and set 7 January 2025 for mention.
Abd Zackery is also charged separately with administering drugs at the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division office, Kuantan district police headquarters, at 5.45pm on 2 December.
He was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read with Section 38B of the same law. Upon conviction, the accused faces a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment of not more than two years and mandatory supervision of not less than two years.
However, no plea was recorded after the charge was read out. The court allowed the accused bail of RM2,600 in one surety and set 7 February 2025 for mention.
What happened to Zahnita Wilson?
Zahnita shocked her fans when she uploaded two pictures showing her bruised face and black eye on her Instagram account.
She shared that she had endured two decades of domestic abuse and no action was taken by the authorities despite lodging reports for years.
She also explained her terrible circumstances were why she left her old house and wore sunglasses sometimes.
Zahnita shared she was hit when she asked her husband if he had another woman and he couldn’t give a proper answer.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman confirmed that Zahnita filed a report on 27 November. He said the black eye Zahnita received from her husband was triggered when Zahnita wanted to leave and live separately. It angered her husband and led to the altercation.
Abd Zackery was arrested on 2 December after he reported to the Kuantan District Police Headquarters and was remanded for three days.
“You can get out,” says Zahnita
While speaking to Melodi TV3, Zahnita shared she had no choice but to push forward with the divorce and stand up for her rights and her children.
She shared she decided to proceed with the divorce because she didn’t want her daughters to go through what she went through.
The couple married in 2005 and share four children: Zahrafeena, Zasharayna, Zahlia, and Zayden.
When asked why she stayed in the abusive situation for so long, Zahnita explained she stayed for her children and because she was still young, she believed her husband would change.
@melodiberapi Luahan Zahnita mengenai masalah rumah tangg beliau. #meloditv3 #zahnita #keganasanrumahtangga #kdrt ♬ original sound – Melodi tv3
She only came to terms with what she was going through after 13 years of putting up with it. She knew it would be a difficult journey to leave someone like her husband so she made plans to move forward and make herself safe.
She started by letting everyone know she was struggling, in trouble and needed help. She also started a business so she has the funds to support herself and leave the abusive marriage. Zahnita added that she prayed daily to Allah to help her find a way to get out of the house.
Throughout the process, Zahnita said she faced a lot of emotional manipulation and abuse from her husband who also told her she was a bad person and mother.
I felt like a slave. I felt like why is he doing this to me. Flashbacks. I don’t really want to go back there. I just want to look to the future. I couldn’t believe that this was my life, really, but I have to claim it. This is my fate. I made some bad decisions in my life and I have to own up.
Zahnita Wilson to MelodiTV3
To those in the same boat as her, she reminded them not to give up on themselves and to find their way out. Perhaps, the most important reminder is to leave once your husband raises his hand against you because it will never stop.
Despite her ordeal, she promised to return “ten times stronger.”
If you’re facing domestic abuse or violence, you can reach out to the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) hotline at +603 3000 8858 or WhatsApp TINA at +6018 988 8058. You can also contact Talian Kasih at 15999.
WAO’s website here has a list of things to do and how to get help when you’re in a dangerous domestic abuse/violence situation.
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