Lusaka maid divorces reckless husband
Written by Millennium on July 19, 2019
RABECCA BANDA writes
@SunZambian
A LUSAKA man has been divorced in the Chilenje Local Court for threatening violence and failing to provide for his wife and children.
Esther Mpokelele,36 a maid of Libala South sued her husband Martin Nondo,39 also of the same area for divorce.
The two were appearing before senior local court magistrate Ackim Phiri, sitting with senior local court magistrate Harriet Mbewe, and presiding local court magistrate Patrick Mbewe.
They got married in 2014 and have two children and have been on separation for two weeks.
Mpokelele said they lived in harmony for a few years and disputes began when her husband started threatening to kill her.
“He tells me that he will kill me one day. I have been living in fear because of his behaviour,
“I got a job as a maid in 2016 and my boss gave us a cottage to live in. We started living their but my husband did not contribute anything,” she said.
She told the court that her husband had been accusing her of having a boyfriend yet he had never caught her with another man.
“Two weeks ago we had a dispute and the landlord chased him from the house because of his violent behavior. My boss chased him because he was disturbing other tenants,
“I want a divorce because I am tired of keeping him. I cannot continue with this marriage,” she said.
In defence, Nondo said disputes started when his wife got a job as a maid.
“My wife changed. She denied me conjugal rights. She wanted to have sex when she feels like. She then moved out of the bedroom and started sleeping in the living room,
“I sued her for reconciliation last month but she refused to reconcile with me. She chased me out of the house that same day. I don’t want to divorce,” he said.
The court granted divorce and ordered Nondo to maintain his former wife with K200 for six months.
Children to remain with their mother and Nondo to maintain them with K200 a month.