A FORTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD man shocked a packed Kanyama Local court when he insisted that his wife should stop working if she was interested in him. James Banda of John Laing Township said his wife should choose between work and her marriage. Banda said it was pointless for his wife to work when he provided everything for her. This is in a case where Banda sued his wife Chana Mwanga, 25, for divorce for refusing to stop work. Banda told the court that the couple had been married for 10 years, but that problems started in February this year when he suspected his wife of having an affair with one of the superiors at her workplace, who used to call her at awkward hours. He said Mwanga’s superior sent her a text message in the night which prompted him to become suspicious. Banda said he grabbed his wife’s phone and sim cards to prevent her from communicating with her boss. He narrated that he was shocked to discover that his wife had secretly replaced her sim card and that she was also promoted at work. In defence, Mwanga said her husband was jealous and monitored her every move. She said Banda had threatened to divorce her if she did not stop work. Mwanga said to please her husband, she was willing to stop work because she felt marriage was more important than her job. But Senior Court Magistrate Miyanda Banda wondered why Banda could be so jealous as to refuse his wife to work when it was for the benefit of the family. “It is evident that you are insecure and don’t want your wife to develop her life because you feel she might grow wings,” he said. In passing judgment, Magistrate Serah Nyendwa said she would not dissolve the marriage since Mwanga had given in to Banda’s demands. She, however, said the marriage would not last since there was no trust.