adminlate wife Ndaizivei Marira which included a house, pension benefits and vehicle as the surviving spouse. He insisted that he paid lobola for the deceased in 2006.
“I went to their rural home with my uncle and our go between. Her parents and other relatives were present when I paid the bride price.
“My wife died in December 2012 and until now I haven’t obtained her death certificate because of the dispute over her marital status,” he said.
Responding to Tafirei’s claim, Spiwe Marira, the deceased’s mother denied receiving lobola from him.
“This man lured my daughter after lying to her that he is single. Indeed he came to my rural home but only asked for my daughter’s hand in marriage,” she said.
Spiwe narrated that Tafirei indicated that he was an orphan leading to family members agreeing to be lenient in charging the bride price.
She added that after paying the token known as “tsvakirai kuno” he left and never returned with the bride price.
“My daughter then eloped to his rural home but was sent back after realising that he already had a wife and child,” she said.
Magistrate Tatenda Manhanzva asked Spiwe to elaborate because her evidence was inconsistent.
“In our Shona culture is it possible for one to pay ‘tsvakirai kuno’ for a person he is not staying with? You indicated earlier that your daughter was a spinster and was not staying with Tafirei before he came to ask for her hand in marriage,” she said.
In response Spiwe insisted that Tafirei only asked for her daughter’s hand in marriage. Amos Marira, father of the deceased told the court that he received the bride price but it was in the now defunct Zimbabwe dollars.
“My daughter wanted to give this man a token of divorce but she fell ill.
“They last stayed together in 2010 when my daughter obtained a protection order against him. My daughter did not have a child with this man,” he said.
Magistrate Manhanzva deferred ruling to today.
Online Reporter