Lusaka A FOURTY-year-old gardener who allegedly raped his 14-year-old stepdaughter has lost his marriage before the Chawama Local Court. Joe Chilala, of Linda Township lost his marriage of 11 years to Peggy Chilima, 34. Chilima, a maid, told the court one day in 2016, when she went to work, Chilala took advantage of her absence to rape her daughter and she added that was the beginning of problems in their marriage. “My daughter told me that her father took advantage of her in my absence and raped her.

I was hurt and I was forced to take her somewhere to protect her from being abused,” she said. She also told the court that her husband at one point deserted his matrimonial home to live with another woman. “Our families sat us down and counselled my husband but he has refused to change. This is not the first time my husband is deserting his home to go and live with another woman,” Chilima said. She told the court in her submission that she has endured suffering and she cannot take it anymore.

Chilala in his defence refuted the allegation of raping Chilima’s daughter and that he went to look for another woman because she was denying him conjugal rights. “For some months now, my wife has been denying me conjugal rights. She has also refused to bear a second child for me on grounds that she does not want to get old. She actually told me to go and look for another woman and bear the child and that she will look after the child,” he said.

Chilala pleaded with the court not to dissolve his marriage saying he he still loves his wife. In passing judgement, magistrate Lewis Mumba sitting with magistrates Nancy Ngoma and Ruth Masanga granted the couple divorce citing lack of love in the marriage. Chilala was ordered to compensate Chilima with K 6,000 and maintaining his child with K 200 effective month end of August.