The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Post Correspondent
A Chikanga man who wed a second wife while his civil marriage with his first wife was still subsisting has been ordered to revoke the second marriage by a Mutare court.
Tawanda Jeremiah Tusso (45) was convicted of his own guilty plea by Mutare provincial magistrate, Mr Tendai Mahwe on Tuesday.
He was convicted of bigamy as defined in Section 104 (1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Tusso, who married and wed Sipiwe Mteranduwa on April 10, 2004, contracted the marriage in terms of the Marriage Act Chapter 5;11 which criminalises the marrying of a second wife while it still exists. They wedded in Chipinge.
He however, 14 years later, without divorcing Mteranduwa went on to wed Moleen Mucheka on June 1, 2018 at Mutare Magistrates’ Civil Court. He also contracted the second marriage in terms of the Marriage Act, Chapter 5;11 knowing fully well that the first marriage was still in effect. The matter was only discovered by Babra Dadi, a Registrar Officer in Harare who reported the matter to the police leading to Tusso’s arrest.
“Ignorance of the law is not a defence, you cannot contract another civil marriage while another one still exists, and saying that you did not know about this law will not help your case,” said Mr Mahwe.
Public prosecutor, Mr Chris Munyuki represented the State.
“Your Worship, I did not know that it was an offence since I am still married to and living with both women, they are all my wives and I did not send the first wife packing when I married the second one,” said the 45-year-old father of three.
Mr Mahwe revoked Tusso’s second marriage to Mucheka and ordered him to fork out RTGS$300 fine.
