Blantyre High court judge, Sylvester Kalembera on August 31, 2020, ruled that academic certificates obtained while in marriage belong to both the husband and wife.
According to Malawi Media, Justice Kalembera made the ruling in a divorce case of Chimwemwe Tewesa and ex-wife Ellen.
The two married in 1995 and divorced in 2012. Tewesa was the breadwinner for the family and he was at first a primary school teacher, then a secondary school teacher and later a lecturer at Domasi College.
The woman contributed through household chores and businesses. After he completed tertiary education, Tewesa divorced his wife.
ALSO READ: Boss, Bindow, others, strategise for APC unity in readiness to retake Adamawa
The woman demanded the High Court to rule that there is a property in the educational qualifications of the man and that the qualifications are family property.
Kalembera noted that cases of a person divorcing their partner after attaining a degree are usual though such conduct is unfortunate and ungrateful.
He said in his ruling that earnings arising from the acquisition of qualifications or licences are marital property.
According to Tewesa, a spouse who losses benefit from such qualifications through a divorce should be “compensated for the loss of distribution of matrimonial property and other monetary orders made by the court while also considering the other spouse’s earnings”
Justice Kalembera has since ordered the husband to compensate the divorced wife for the loss of contributions she made when the husband was pursuing his studies, the amount will be assessed by the registrar of the High Court.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
TOUGH POLICIES: IMF, World Bank Take Over Nigeria’s Economy •More Pains Ahead For Nigerians
ALTHOUGH this seems a difficult period for Nigerians, Sunday Tribune investigations have, however, revealed that it could actually be a signal to the beginning of more unbearable pains in the form of economic policies as the Federal Government continues to implement the stringent conditions of its international creditors…
marital property