A Plumtree-based Environment Management Agency (EMA) employee, Alfos Bukhosibethu Nyathi, is facing a hefty US$45,000 damages claim after a four-year affair with a married woman. The claim, filed by the woman’s husband, Vincent Chiwawa, stems from Nyathi’s alleged adulterous relationship with Chiwawa’s wife, Christian Kagande.
Chiwawa’s legal action, which resulted in a default judgment against Nyathi on January 8th after Nyathi failed to respond to summons, seeks compensation for “contumelia and loss of consortium” resulting from the adultery. The summons details a marriage between Chiwawa and Kagande, solemnised in Plumtree on March 26th, 2021, and blessed with two children aged 14 and 11. The marriage, according to the court documents, remains intact.
Chiwawa’s claim hinges on Kagande’s confession, made on November 18th, 2024, detailing a four-year affair with Nyathi, spanning from 2020 to 2024. This confession, made to her pastor and corroborated by a close friend of the couple, revealed unprotected sexual encounters between Kagande and Nyathi, both while Chiwawa was in Zimbabwe and after he relocated to the United Kingdom on December 16th, 2023.
The children, according to court documents, unwittingly provided further evidence of the affair. They reportedly confided in their father about their mother’s frequent absences, claiming she left under the guise of attending church meetings. The affair, given Plumtree’s small-town setting, became widely known, leading to social repercussions for both Chiwawa and his children.
The affair’s public knowledge, amplified by its coverage in H-Metro, significantly impacted Chiwawa’s social standing and professional reputation. He claims to have lost the respect and goodwill he previously enjoyed among his peers and colleagues. The children, meanwhile, suffered social ostracism and a decline in their academic performance.
Chiwawa’s legal action highlights the devastating emotional and social consequences of the affair. He argues that Nyathi’s actions have not only wrecked his marriage but also robbed him of the joy and companionship he invested in his family life. The court documents state that Nyathi’s actions have diminished Kagande’s affection for her husband, impacting their conjugal relationship.
