THERE was drama at the Mutare Civil Court last Thursday after the senior wife attacked her husband’s small house, accusing her of snatching her man.
So intriguing was the drama which spilled into the courtroom where the enraged senior wife traded harsh words with the small house. Even a binding peace order issued by presiding magistrate, Mrs Yeukai Chigodora could not stop the feuding parties from trading insults. It had to take the intervention of police officers who detaiedn them in a room to cool down their tampers. They were released when they had calmed down.
Things came to a boil when Mrs Chigodora granted a binding peace order to both Mildred Matimba and Fortunate Tsarai who are in a polygamous relationship with their mechanic husband whose name was not supplied.
The ruling was made after Matimba failed to provide the court with proof of the messages which were allegedly sent by her husband’s girlfriend, Tsarai, saying the husband had deleted them. Matimba was praying for a peace order against Tsarai whom she said was her husband’s girlfriend who was trying to snatch him from her.
Matimba said: “Your Worship, I pray that this woman should be barred from sending me insulting messages. She is not married to my husband and no relative knows about her. She is just cohabiting with my husband. As for now I consider her as a girlfriend because she has not been formally introduced to the family. She sent me vulgar messages and I cannot withstand this anymore.”
However, Tsarai disputed everything and told the court that it was Matimba who always starts the fights between them. Tsarai told the court that at one point she was arrested after Matimba made a false report against her to the police.
Tsarai said: “In August 2015, I was arrested and detained in cells after Matimba made a false report. After failing to produce ample evidence before the courts the matter was withdrawn. She is the one who would start sending vulgar messages and if I respond, she will report the matter to the police. My husband is sorting out everything for my formal introductions to the whole family since some of the relatives already know me.
“I have a two-year-old child with her husband. The man is also mine,” she claimed.
Matimba denied ever starting fights with Tsarai.
“I think Matimba is angry because our husband promised to buy me some groceries. I don’t harass her in any way because I stay in Nhedziwa. Our husband visits me during weekends and she is the one stays with him longer. I don’t know why she is in the habit of following me at my rural home,” charged Tsarai.
Matimba disputed that Tsarai was the second wife since she was still staying at her mother’s place in Nhedziwa.
“If she is married to my husband, why is he not leaving her parent’s home? She is not married to my husband and I will not rest until she leaves my husband,” said Matimba.
Mrs Chigodora advised them to maintain peace with each other since they were sharing the same husband.
She said: “Each one of you should not disturb each other in any way. Sending messages to each other will attract a criminal offence. You are both sharing the same man, therefore you should respect each other.”
