Unpaid labour for marrying two men

Nyore Madzianike

Senior Court Reporter

A 30-year-old woman was ordered to perform 105 hours of unpaid work at Warren Park Primary School in Harare after she was convicted of marrying two husbands.

This emerged when she appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court.

Thelma Annah Guvakumwe was initially jailed for six months, before three months of her sentence were set aside on condition she does not commit a similar offence within the next three years.

Magistrate Mrs Noticia Shenje suspended the remaining three months on condition she performs 105 hours of community service.

Guvakumwe was being charged with bigamy.

She married Elton Sanyamahwe and sired a child with him whilst she was also still married to Cloudio Jume.

Guvakumwe was also fined $10 000 for lying under oath at the Harare Civil Court on August 3 this year.

She lied that she was divorced to Jume when their marriage still subsisted.

She also risks being jailed for two months if she fails to pay the fine on or before December 30.

Guvakumwe was charged with perjury.

She had denied the charges saying Jume had given a divorce token sometime in April last year.

She claimed that after being constantly physically abused by Jume, she went back to her mother’s place.

Guvakumwe said she was not customarily or legally married to Sanyamahwe.

She also told the court that she applied for a protection order against Jume as result of his verbal abuse and death threats.