You have been co-habiting for 13yrs, you are not married, court tells man, woman

A 47-year-old woman of Chunga Township was shocked when the Matero Local Court, Zambia told her that it does not deal with issues of promiscuity after it noted that the man she had sued for divorce did not pay dowry.

Mary Bwalya sued Francis Mwamba, 50, also of Chunga Township, for divorce but when the magistrate, Harriet Mulenga interrogated the two to find out whether dowry was paid, she discovered that it was not.

Mary told the court that Francis only paid ‘nsalamu’ but never paid dowry, but Francis said he was never charged for dowry.

Mary, who sells ‘chikanda’ for a living, told the court that she has been married to Francis for 13 years.

But the magistrate, Mulenga said the court respects tradition.

“You have stayed with him for 13 years but he is not your husband and she is not your wife. You have just been cohabiting.”

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