Secret marriage backfires

Written by on June 29, 2019


DIANA NSOFWA writes

A DECISION by a Lusaka man to sue his wife for divorce backfired when the Matero Local Court ordered him to compensate her with K8,000 after she accused   him of being a crook.

Morgan Kunda, 39, of Lusaka West sued his second wife Hildah Bwalya, 21, of Garden House for divorce.

He, however, left the court room grunting with chagrin after magistrate Miyanda Banda ordered him to ‘reward’ the woman he was bent on divorcing.

The two had been married since February 2019 and had been on separation for three weeks.

Kunda told the court that he wanted to divorce Bwalya because she informed his first wife that he had married her.

“In 2018 my wife and I had argued. Then we went on separation. She left me for two months. I met Bwalya and we fell in love and I decided to marry her,” Kunda testified.

“I paid part of her dowry and found a house for her to rent. My wife came back, but I didn’t tell her about Bwalya,” Kunda said.

He said he continued to sponsor both women.

Kunda said he wanted to tell his wife that he had married another woman after some months.

“I would sleep at Bwalya’s place twice a week and tell my wife that I was working. I would be found at both houses daily,” he said.

Kunda left his phone at Bwalya’s place, but she started communicating with his first wife.

“When I went home I started having issues with my wife and that is why I want to divorce Bwalya so that there can be peace,” Kunda said.

Bwalya told the court that she was not aware that Kunda was a married man.

“He did not tell me that he has a wife. He said he lives with his cousin and that he has one child. He came to my place and paid. That’s how I shifted,” she said.

Bwalya said Kunda had only slept at her house three times.

He always said he was at work and she never questioned him knowing that he was working for her to eat.

“I found his memory card and found recording of conversations he was having with his wife and that is how I got her number and communicated with her. He lied to me that he was going to Kabwe and when he came the following day he told me I had brought problems because I had called his first wife,” Bwalya said.

“I didn’t want to divorce but since he has already bought a summons there is nothing I can do. I just want the court to punish him for the lies he has told me,” Bwalya said.

The court castigated Kunda for his dishonesty.

“This was a marriage of inconvenience. You didn’t want marriage; you were just greedy. You only wanted her as a girlfriend and you are not an honest man,” magistrate Banda said.

He said there was no love in the relationship.

“Stop fooling people. You will compensate Bwalya K8,000 effective July 30 because you were fooling her and all household goods acquired together have been given to her,” magistrate Banda said.


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