MAN CHARGED K10, 000 FOR ELOPEMENT
Written by Millennium on October 4, 2019
LUCY PHIRI writes
@SunZambian
A 28-year old man of Chongwe who secretly shifted his girlfriend to his house without her parents’ consent, has been told to compensate them with K10, 000.
The ruling by the Chelstone Local Court was in line with the plaintiff’s demand for Andrew Mtonga to either give her four fat cows to taking her daughter without consent or pay K10, 000. Maria Mweemba, 67, of Kapilyomba Residential area sued Mtonga for taking her daughter in June 2018 without her consent. Mweemba told senior local court senior magistrate, Charity Milambo, that Mtonga Mtonga also failed to attend all the meetings called by her to discuss the issue.
“I want him to pay me, because he took my daughter without permission, it is not acceptable in Tonga tradition,” she said.
Mweemba said, “I want him to give me four fat cows equivalent to K10, 000, and I cannot reduce the amount because at one point he had impregnated my daughter and after the baby died he just bought the dead body and that was the first time I met him.”
But Mtonga said he was just in a relationship with Mweemba’s daughter as he was not planning to marry any time soon.
“Am willing to pay but they should at least reduce it, I can only manage K500 because I don’t have any money now,” he said.
Mweemba’s daughter, Happiness, who also testified in the matter, said Mtonga wanted to marry another woman after living with her for a year and some months.
“He impregnated another woman, he is not my first boyfriend though I already have a five year old child with my first boyfriend. I still love him,” she said.
Court ordered him to pay K10, 000 for elopement, with K5, 000 as the first instalment by November 27 and thereafter monthly payments of K500.