Online Reporter
Mathew Masinge
A SENIOR police officer has appeared at the Harare High Court accused of having an adulterous relationship with a married man, who also died in her arms.
Chief Superintendent Erina Litemwe was summoned to court by Abigail Muchineripi, who is demanding US$20 000 for loss of love and companionship against her late husband, Sydney Muchineripi.
The illicit affair was discovered in 2014 after Erina sired a child with Sydney.
Erina met Sydney (an ex-senior VID officer) in 2012 before the two got married customarily in December of the same year.
She claimed Sydney told her that he separated with his ex-wife and was still finalising their divorce
Despite knowledge of Sydney’s marriage to Abigail in 2014, Erina is believed to have continued with the affair and even moved in to stay with him in 2019 until 2023, when he died.
The trial for claim for damages opened last week before Justice Priscilla Mungati-Manongwa, who deferred the hearing to today to hear more evidence from Erina’s witnesses.
However, Erina argued that after finding out that Sydney was married, the two still enjoyed a cordial relationship in which they co-parented their daughter from 2014 until 2023.
Quizzed why she moved in to live with Sydney in 2019, Erina said it was due to his ill-health and he had imposed himself on her.
She claimed the two occupied different bedrooms and agreed not to have any sexual relationship during the period between 2019 to 2023.
It is her defence that Abigail never confronted her and was surprised to see her slapping her with adultery summons in 2019.
Erina has also raised a special plea with the court asking it to dismiss the claim for damages.
The two women even clashed at the Master of The High Court where they each intended to register Sydney’s estate.
However, Abigail was later declared the surviving spouse after a High Court challenge.
Through her lawyer, Abigail argued that Erina was not a reliable witness since she referred to herself as Sydney’s wife.
Abigail said Erina is liable for the claim after she continued with the adulterous relationship despite knowledge of Sydney’s marital status.
