THE Matero Local court has heard how a 40-year-old man of Mandevu has given up on his marriage for failure to contend with punches from his wife’s brothers. Frank Zulu said he has ditched Annie Soko, 42, for another woman because her brothers beat him whenever he quarrels with his wife. He said he cannot continue to be in a marriage where his wife’s relatives have more say. Zulu was testifying in a matter in which his wife sued him for divorce. The couple got married in 2006 and has four children together.

“I married another woman because my wife’s family like interfering with our marriage. She always calls her brothers to come and beat me,” he said. He said he does not want to reconcile with Soko and wants the court to dissolve their marriage. Zulu told the court that: “I no longer love Soko, I just want her to give me my children so that I can take care of them alone.”

But Soko told the court that she recently learnt that her husband is married after a tip off from a neighbour. She said her husband told her that he was going for work out of town when in fact not.

“My husband lied to me that he was working from Kafue. I was shocked to find out that he is married and lives in Mandevu,” Soko told the court. She said Zulu abandoned her and the children saying he stopped visiting them and buying food. Soko told the court that she fell ill and was admitted to hospital but her husband never visited her. In passing judgement, magistrate Pauline Newa granted the couple divorce on grounds that there is lack of love and commitment on the part of Zulu. Zulu was ordered to compensate Soko with K 10,000 and start supporting his children with K 500.