The ManicaPost
Melody Vherenaisi
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE woman is living in fear as her ex-husband assaults and harasses her each time they meet in a bid to rekindle their love.
Sibongile Kotoza said she was married to Maxwell Chin’ai for quite some time before they separated three months ago.
She said they were staying in South Africa where he was working before they relocated to Zimbabwe.
Kotoza said she could not conceive and this strained their marriage as Chin’ai was now demanding a child from her.
“We were staying together well in South Africa where he was working until we relocated to Zimbabwe. He then changed and started demanding a child. He would assault me over my barrenness, yet this was not of my own making. His sister also joined him in harassing me. She influenced him to divorce me. That’s how our relationship broke down and we parted ways,” explained Kotoza.
She said what is surprising her now is that whenever she meets Chin’ai, he assaults and harasses her, telling her to come back home so that they can reconcile.
Kotoza said at one time, Chin’ai assaulted her and tore her clothes.
A sympathiser gave her a cloth to wrap her body.
“I went and made a police report. He was summoned to the police station and he told them that I had wasted his time by not bearing children for him,” she said.
However, Chin’ai denied the allegations.
He said he assaulted Kotoza after she had diverted the money he had given her to buy a residential stand in Zimbabwe and opened two shops.
“When we were about to relocate to Zimbabwe, I gave her money to buy a residential stand, but she diverted the money to open two shops. She never told me anything about the shops until my return to Zimbabwe. I discovered it on my own.
“When I asked her about the residential stand, she said she had bought a communal stand in Chigodora,” said Chin’ai.
Despite Chin’ai’s explanations, a protection order was granted in Kotoza’s favour.
Chin’ai was ordered not to insult, harass, threaten and disturb his ex-wife’s peace.
On the issue of the stand and shops, the presiding magistrate, Mr Xavier Chipato advised Chin’ai and Kotoza to resolve the issue amicably.
