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Tafara Chibanda
A FAMILY dispute over a house, which was built on a stand which was given as part of lobola, has spilled into the Harare Civil Court.
Shadreck Samu, and his wife Loveness Katera, are at loggerheads with his sister, Beauty Zakariah, and her son Vitalis Smoke.
Shadreck told the court that the conflict stems from a stand, which was given to him by his brother-in-law, as a lobola token, to help settle the bride price.
The lobola was for his sister Loveness.
“The house, which my sister is fighting me for, belongs to me because I used my money to build it,” said Shadreck.
“Each time they come to the house, they destroy things, last week Vitalis, my sister’s son, came to the house and started banging the gates and doors and I am still fixing the doors which he broke,” he said.
Beauty disputed the allegations.
She said the family held a meeting and agreed that Shadreck should go and rent a place for his two wives as the other family members were no longer welcome in the house due to the hostile treatment they were receiving.
“I do not harass my brother’s wife or chase her away from the house, the only problem I have with her is she does not allow me and my children to stay in the house my husband left for us before he died,” Beauty said.
She said Shadreck chased her family, which includes five childre, from the house.
“I am going to fight for that house till I get it back,” she said.
Presiding magistrate, Joana Mukwesha, granted Shadreck a protection order.
The order bars Beauty and her son from harassing, insulting or assaulting Shadreck and his wife. However, Mukwesha also ordered the feuding parties to take the property dispute to the appropriate court, as the civil court lacked jurisdiction to determine the ownership.
Online Reporter