Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MARRIAGE in Mutasa is teetering on the brink of collapse after a husband allegedly walked in on a mysterious man emerging from his house — an encounter that sparked accusations of infidelity and emotional upheaval.
The husband claimed that the man was a “prophet” and his wife’s lover. The prophet had initially been introduced to him as the wife’s uncle.
The case unfolded at Chief Mutasa’s community recently where Tawanda Bhandi accused his wife, Joice Mungati, of bringing another man into their matrimonial home, triggering a chain of mistrust, separation and emotional turmoil.
The court heard that Bhandi allegedly left the couple’s homestead shortly afterward, and has since moved in with another woman.
Bhandi narrated to the court that the incident that changed everything happened on June 25.
“On June 25, I got home from work, and found a man coming out of my house. Behind him was my wife and her younger sister. I asked my wife about my car parts, and told them that I was leaving. My wife told me that the man was her mother’s brother. The man greeted me, and said he was visiting his nieces, and would be leaving for Harare around 2pm. It was around 9am,” he said.
Bhandi said the explanation did not sit well with him, but he restrained himself. He said left the homestead briefly, and later called his sister-in-law to confirm whether the so-called uncle was still there.
“When I called her a few minutes later, she told me that their uncle had already left. This is despite his statement that he would leave after five hours. I was pissed off, and went back home. I took water and poured it on the blankets and all the rooms in the house. I asked my wife to summon her relatives so that I could talk to them. Up to now her relatives are still to come to my homestead,” he said.
Bhandi told Chief Mutasa that the incident was the final straw.
“From that day, I told myself I was done with her. I no longer loved her. I moved out, but she did not take my actions lightly. Each time I visit home, she assaults me. There are pending assault cases I lodged against her at the police,” he said.
However, Mungati denied ever bringing a prophet or any man into their matrimonial home.
She said the entire incident was fabricated to justify her husband’s abandonment of the family.
The woman insisted that her husband had already found another lover, and was looking for a scapegoat to desert her and their children.
“All this never happened. My husband left us a long time ago. He now stays with another woman. There was never a prophet at my home, and my younger sister whom he is talking about last visited us last year,” Mungati told the court.
However, her version of events was contradicted by her sister identified as Mai Muku when Chief Mutasa called her over the phone to testify, as she was in Harare.
Mai Muku confirmed that indeed a prophet had visited them that morning.
“They were always having problems as a couple because the husband had a girlfriend. The prophet came visited us on the day in question. My brother-in-law came, and found him at the homestead. She lied that it was our uncle because she feared that her husband would get mad, but all I know is that he was a prophet, and not a boyfriend,” Mai Muku said.
However, Mungati argued that the allegations were a manufactured story, part of what she believed was a plan between her husband and her sister to tarnish her reputation.
“I suspect they connived to fabricate this story against me,” said Mungati.
She insisted that her sister was lying, and maintained that no prophet had visited them.
Chief Mutasa urged the couple to seek counselling through their church or elders before making a final decision about divorce.
“What we are seeing here is a marriage with no trust left. Both of you need counselling. You cannot build a home on assumptions and anger. Whether it was a prophet or not, you should have resolved this issue together,” said Chief Mutasa.
He also advised Bhandi to take care of his family, even if the marriage collapses.
“A man can move on from a marriage, but cannot turn his back on his children,” the chief added.
However, Bhandi maintained that the marriage was over.
“I have no trust left. The moment I found that man at my home, something died in me. She has been abusing me for years. This woman is very violent, and recently, I bled profusely from my head after she struck me with an axe. I still have the scar on my head. If we do not part ways, I might end up dead at her hands,” he said.
