Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MARITAL union now hangs by a thread after a married woman was allegedly caught exchanging clandestine, suggestive text messages and explicit emojis with another man — sparking a bitter dispute that threatens to tear apart her marriage.
The case came before Chief Mutasa’s community court last Saturday, where the aggrieved husband, Simbarashe Mawonye, accused Ashton Chatayi of engaging in what he described as an extramarital affair with his wife, Lisa Mutambanuki. Mawonye told the court he had caught Chatayi red handed and accused him of deliberately pursuing his wife and disrespecting his marriage.
The matter took a dramatic twist when it was revealed that Chatayi had allegedly paid Mutambanuki US$5 for sex — money which Mawonye confiscated and later handed over to the village head as evidence.
“I caught this man in an extramarital affair with my wife. He even gave her US$5 so that they could sleep together. I took that money and gave it to the village head because I wanted this matter to be handled properly,” said Mawonye, visibly angered.
He further accused his wife of repeated infidelity, claiming trust in their marriage had been shattered beyond repair.
“This is not the first time I have faced such a problem with this woman. She is promiscuous. I sent my first wife packing after I caught her cheating with another man. Now I am facing the same dilemma,” he lamented.
He told Chief Mutasa that he feared losing his marriage entirely.
“I am tired, Chief. I want peace in my home, but this behaviour is destroying my family,” he said as he presented flirtatious exchanges between the two before the court.
Chatayi, however, disputed Mawonye’s version of events, admitting to exchanging messages with Mutambanuki, but denying the existence of a sexual relationship between them.
He accused Mawonye of orchestrating a scheme where he set up his wife to ensnare men, and extort compensation through the courts.
“Yes, it happened, but I was not dating his wife. I was only asking her out.
Each time I passed by their home, she would ask me to bring her a drink, and I started doing so from time to time,” he said, further claiming that their relationship became transactional.
“Eventually she started asking me for money. When I said I did not have any, she would call me endlessly demanding it. That is when I realised she was interested in me,” said Chatayi, further alleging that Mawonye had physically assaulted him.
“He once assaulted me, accusing me of sleeping with his wife. He wants to use his wife as a money-making machine. They trap men, and drag them to court to siphon them money,” he said.
The allegations drew sharp attention from Chief Mutasa, who warned Mawonye against abusing the traditional justice system.
“If indeed you are trapping men to make money, you must stop it immediately,” he said.
Mutambanuki told the court she had initially rejected Chatayi’s advances, and reported him to her husband.
“Ashton had been asking me out, and I told my husband. I refused his proposals, but he kept insisting,” she said, claiming she did not willingly give Chatayi her phone number.
“One day when I wanted airtime, Ashton tricked me into giving him my phone number. From that time, he kept calling me again and again,” said Mutambanuki.
However, her testimony was heavily scrutinised when Chief Mutasa presented chat messages exchanged between her and Chatayi.
The court heard that the conversations went beyond casual talk and included negotiations for sexual favours.
“She suggested US$50, and he said he could only afford US$10,” said Chief Mutasa, as he read through the text messages, some of which were explicitly romantic, contradicting her claim that she had rejected Chatayi.
One message read: “Love is heat, you are sweet, when two lips meet, you are sweet, love is complete, lots of kisses for you on this kiss day.”
Another message presented to the court read: “Love that we cannot have is the one that lasts the longest, hurts the deepest and feels the strongest.”
As Chief Mutasa read the messages aloud, he paused repeatedly to question the conduct of both parties.
“If you were not lovers, why would you send such messages? What do hearts, kisses and licking emojis mean between married people?” he asked.
Turning to Mutambanuki, Chief Mutasa was blunt.
“Why would you send such kind of emojis to someone’s husband when you are already married? You knew exactly what you were doing,” he asked.
In his ruling, Chief Mutasa ordered Mutambanuki to pay Chatayi’s wife two beasts for attempting to destroy her marriage.
“You interfered with another woman’s home. That is unacceptable,” he said.
Chatayi was also found guilty of misconduct and ordered to pay Mawonye three beasts.
“You are very lucky that you had not already slept with her. If that had happened, the fine would be much heavier,” he said.
Chief Mutasa concluded by warning both couples against promiscuity and irresponsible digital behaviour.
“We say no to promiscuity in this community. If you are married, respect your marriage. Respect other people’s marriages,” he said.
