Reconciliation request denied over unsettled dowry
Written by Millennium on August 8, 2019
RABECCA BANDA writes
A local court in Lusaka has refused to divorce a couple because the man did not pay any dowry for the woman therefore not married to her.
Chilenje Senior Local Court Magistrate Ackim Phiri, sitting with senior local court magistrate Harriet Mbewe, ruled that the couple, Beatrice Ngosa, 33, of Chalala Township and Emmanuel Kaposhi, 37, of Chilenje Township, were merely cohabiting since the latter did not pay dowry.
This is in a matter Ms Ngosa sued Mr Kaposhi for reconciliation after being on separation for two years due to disputes.
Ms Ngosa told court she wanted to be reconciled with Mr Kaposhi despite that he had not paid her dowry.
But Kaposhi, in his defense, said he did not want to be reconcile with Ms Ngosa because she was disrespectful to him and his relatives.
He said the two had lived separately for two years and it was not possible to get back together.
The court said it could not further hear the matter as Kaposhi did not pay dowry.
The court said it could not divorce the two as they were no married but merely cohabiting. Court advised them to share household goods equally.