COURT DISMISSES SUPPORT CLAIM OVER UNPAID DOWRY
Written by Millennium on August 31, 2019
LUCY PHIRI writes
@SunZambian
THE Chelstone Local Court has refused to reconcile a Lusaka couple on grounds it was not married but mere cohabiting as no dowry was paid.
This was in a case in which Thandiwe Makukula, 23, of Mtendere Township sued her partner Watson Zulu, 28, of Emmerdale residential area for marriage reconciliation.
Makukula told presiding magistrate Mary Namangala that the two started living together in 2018 and have a child though no dowry was paid.
She sued Zulu for allegedly failing to buy food for the family and supporting the child.
“My husband has never supported me and my baby since day one, I stayed with his mother for three weeks and it seems his family is against us being together,” she said.
Mukukula said, “He drinks too much beer and only gives me a K50 for everything once in a while, I had to shift to my parents’ house for fear I may die of hunger.”
But Zulu in his defense said he did not have enough money to care for his family as she wished to as he was unemployed.
“We sat down with both families while I was still at school, my father asked me to go ahead and marry her saying he would give me support including giving me a place to live,” he said.
“I was shocked to discover my wife had shifted to her mother’s house. She does not respect me nor understand my situation,” he said.
Upon listening to both parties, the court dismissed the case as no dowry was paid for the couple’s union. Makukula was instead advised to sue Zulu in the subordinate for support as the two were not married.
