In an incident that left villagers of Madzenga in Bikita tongue-tied a man turned her 23-year-old daughter into a ”money link” when he allegedly accepted bride price from three men for her, Headman Mpakwa (Clemence Munyika) has confirmed.
Headman Mpakwa told TellZim that the incident which has become a festive treatment for the villagers occurred on Monday.
Tafirenyika Munhundishe surprised all and sundry by accepting bride price from two other men for his daughter, Rudo Munhundishe despite her being already married to Cephas Hwari of the same village.
He said Tafirenyika used the same mediator in all occasions adding that he had turned his daughter into a “money link” where he would use her to get money.
“I can confirm receiving a report to that effect. Tafirenyika is said to have wittingly or unwittingly accepted lobola money from two other men for Rudo yet Rudo is married to Hwari. The mother of two is said to have connived with her father and the two men fell for the trick, hook line and sinker,” said Headman Mpakwa.
He said the two duped men were said to have been told on different occasions that Rudo was a single mother and they all proposed to marry her.
“Some time last week Rudo’s antics came into light when the other man went to his in-laws to collect his wife since he had paid lobola. Upon reaching Munhundishe homestead, he was told he found Rudo not home as she was at her first husband’s homestead in the same village,” he said.
Headman Mpakwa added, “This raised the man’s eyebrows who demanded to see her wife. Within a few hours, the third man also came and was taken aside by the cunning Tafirenyika, apparently for him not to meet with the other husband.”
He said subsequently the two men realised that they had been duped by Tafirenyika and Rudo after which they remonstrated through threatening to report the two for extortion to the police.
“The two men had each paid $5000 as lobola with each promising to complete the outstanding pride price of $1500 later,” he said.
He said the case was expected to appear before his court yesterday and had taken the matter to the magistrate court where he seeks to get proper legal guidance but he would go ahead with the trial.
“I am trying the case today and I have summoned the father of the woman, and the woman herself. The deprived men and original husband will be there before the courts as witnesses to this unique case,” he said without mentioning the identities of the two men.
When contacted late yesterday Headman Mpakwa said he was still in the middle of trying the matter but said only Rudo, Tafirenyika and Hwari had shown up while the other two “husbands” did not attend the court despite being summoned to the court to give evidence.
He said the traditional had not given out a verdict but was expected by the end of day yesterday.
“We are still in the middle of court proceedings as I speak and Tafirenyika is giving evidence. I cannot preempt at this point in time, just be patient and wait for the verdict. I have to check the identities of the two husbands,” he said.local
