Lusaka Woman Asks Court To Reconcile Her With ‘Absentee Husband’

By KAPALA CHISUNKA
A 25-YEAR-OLD woman of Kuku stunned the Lusaka Boma Court when she asked to be reconciled to the man she accused of being an absentee husband.
Christine Phiri told senior court magistrates Mable Mwaba and Mary Namangala that her husband, Simon Mwandala, 29, of the same township was in the habit of disappearing from their matrimonial home for months without leaving money for his family.
This was heard in a case in which, Phiri sued Mwandala for reconciliation. They got married in 2005 and have two children, but have been on separation since February 6, this year.
Mwandala told the court that he had changed his ways and was ready to be reconciled with his wife because he wanted their children to grow up in a stable environment.
Phiri told the court that problems in their marriage started early last year when Mwandala suddenly started staying out late and sometimes would not go back home until the next day.
“His habits of spending nights out turned into weeks and later he would be gone for months without bothering to send money for our upkeep. When it became too much, I went and complained to my mother-in-law who suggested that I sell some of the property to raise money for transport back to my village,” she said.
Phiri said when she managed to raise some money, she went back to inform her mother-in-law, who suggested that she leaves when her husband returns from where he had disappeared to.
“When we finally located him, he begged me not to go back to the village, so I decided to stay hoping he had changed but after a month of being together, he disappeared again. I left and went to the village where I stayed for eight months with no form of communication from him,” she said.
She said Mwandala then communicated and begged her to return with their children claiming he had changed his ways. She said he told her that he had found a house for them so they could live as a family again.
Once again, she fell for his charm and returned to Lusaka after her mother gave her transport money. Unfortunately, the situation had not changed. She said Mwandala continued being an irresponsible husband and father.
“He could leave home without giving me money for food while he would go and eat from his relatives’ homes. It came to a point where I could follow him and ask his relatives not to give him food because his children were starving,” she said.
Phiri said Mwandala then developed a habit of physically abusing her for no reason even when she was sick. To save herself, she said she reported him to the victim support unit (VSU) but they failed to reconcile them and advised them to go to court.
“I have been staying with my older brother since February. He does not provide any kind of support to us. Although I have no love for him as a husband, I want you to reconcile us so that we can go back to live as a family for the sake of my children,” she said.
In his statement, Mwandala begged the court to reconcile them saying he still loved his wife and children. He said there was no other woman in his life and that the only reason he spent nights out was that of the nature of his job.
“I am a brick-layer so sometimes, I get too tired to go back home but she is usually aware that my absence from home is because of work. The problem is that she thinks I am with other women each time I spend nights away from the family,” he said.
Mwandala said he was ready to go and get his wife and children.
Passing judgment, after reprimanding Mwandala and counselling the couple, the court reconciled the two.

Posted by Editor on May 13, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry