The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
THE Honde Valley man who disguised himself as a woman and was married for 16 months is alleged to have pocketed his own bride price of US$200.
Morris Samuchena of Murehwa disguised himself as Emily Muswere and would become intimate with ‘‘her husband’’, Andrew Chafa-Sambani, during the subsistence of their marriage.
It has also emerged that Morris collected his own “bride price” of US$200 as a sole actor during the ceremony to welcome him to the Chafa-Sambani family.
Unlike the common practice where a new bride is accompanied by her relatives for formal introductions, Morris’ relatives did not grace the occasion.
Although the Chafa-Sambanis and Samuchenas were not readily available to comment on Morris’ shenanigans, Madzinga village head, Mr Manyangarirwa Mubure confirmed the development.
“I gathered that Morris took his ‘bride price’ of US$200. He actually demanded it, saying he wanted to channel it to his church. We don’t even know which church he referred to. There was no go-between (samukuru/munyai) to witness the transaction. Morris’ relatives did not attend the bride welcoming ceremony,” said Mr Mubure.
Morris and Andrew jointly appeared before Mutasa magistrate, Mr Artwell Sanyatwe last week, facing sodomy charges as defined under Section 73 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
They denied the charges and were remanded in custody to today (Friday).
Mr Tinashe Madziwa prosecuted.
Prosecuting, Mr Madziwa said the accused persons were likely to interfere with the evidence or witnesses since they stay in the same village.
He also submitted that the accused persons were likely to continue committing the same offence.
In his statement to the police, Andrew’s father, Mr Leonard Chafa-Sambani said they threw a party to welcome their new “daughter-in-law “‘ sometime in December before the couple went back to their base in Harare.
“The two, Andrew and Morris, came to our homestead in Madzinga Village sometime in December last year, with Morris clad in a female attire.
“Andrew introduced Morris to us as his girlfriend. The two stayed together as husband and wife at our Sambani homestead before going back to Harare.
“Morris later came back on December 26. They stayed together as husband and wife up to May 4 when it came to light that Morris was actually a man,” he said.
Mr Chafa-Sambani further stated that sometime in April, Morris attended a funeral in Madzinga Village as a man.
He convinced the people who had positively identified him that he was Emily’s twin brother.
“On an unknown date, but in January 2022, both accused persons went to Harare to stay as husband and wife. In April, Morris came back home to attend a funeral while dressed as a man and some villagers positively identified him. When they approached him, he said he was Emily’s twin brother,” said Mr Chafa-Sambani.
In his statement to the police, Village head Mubure confirmed that the two stayed as husband and wife at Sambani homestead up to May 2.
“On that day, there was a women’s soccer match in Madzinga Village. Chisuko Women’s Club and Madzinga Women’s Club were competing. Morris Samuchena (Emily Muswere) was one of the players and one of the players from Chisuko identified him.
“No one took the issue seriously and ‘Emily’s’ teammates dismissed the issue as mere jealous.
“On May 4, I was home when two females approached me and stated that they were Morris’ sisters. They revealed his actual identity.
“He later confessed that he was a man, insisting that he had misled the Sambanis. Morris’ sisters took him to their home in Chisuko,” said Mr Mubure.
