A tale of forbidden love and marital discord has gripped the Mukuwapasi Village in Makoni, as a 61-year-old grandmother has allegedly abandoned her 72-year-old husband for a younger man, young enough to be her son. The scandalous affair has left tongues wagging and raised eyebrows within the local community.
Caroline Chihwayi, of Mukuwapasi Village, is said to be deeply infatuated with Justin Madziwa, a man whose age pales in comparison to hers. Her husband, Lancelot Mutenda, has been left heartbroken and humiliated by the alleged affair.
The illicit relationship first came to light in 2020 when Mutenda reportedly caught his wife and Justin in a compromising position. However, the affair seemingly continued, with Mutenda catching the pair again just last month, reigniting his pain and prompting him to seek recourse.
Desperate to salvage his marriage and seek justice, Mutenda approached Chief Makoni’s community court last week, alleging that Justin had ruined his marriage. However, both Chihwayi and Justin failed to appear before the court, further adding to Mutenda’s distress.
In a statement to the court, Mutenda recounted the initial discovery of the affair: “I first caught my wife and Justin in the act, being intimate. I seized his clothes as evidence and reported the matter to Headman Mukuwapasi’s community court.”
Following the initial discovery, Justin, accompanied by his relatives, reportedly approached Mutenda seeking an out-of-court settlement. “He offered a cock as an apology, but my relatives deemed it a mockery, as a cock symbolises power and authority in our culture,” Mutenda explained.
Unsatisfied with the attempted settlement, Mutenda pursued the matter at the headman’s court, which ruled that Justin’s actions were disrespectful and provocative. The court ordered Justin to pay Mutenda two beasts as compensation for dating his wife. However, Justin allegedly fled from the village without paying the fine.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Mutenda returned from a five-day funeral in Bulawayo to find his homestead in disarray. “When I returned from a five-day funeral in Bulawayo, I found all doors at my homestead ajar. I asked my wife’s brother about her whereabouts,” Mutenda said.
He later discovered that his wife was with Justin at the shops. Upon arrival, he discovered they had already left. He followed them to Justin’s homestead around 1am, where he allegedly overheard their intimate conversation. In a fit of anger, Mutenda threw a brick onto the roof to disturb them.
“When I confronted Justin, he called upon a villager, Garikai, to assist him, but he did not respond,” Mutenda recounted. He then left the homestead to report the matter to the village head, only to see his wife and Justin fleeing from the scene.
Mutenda reported the incident to the police, who advised him to seek recourse through the community courts. However, in a surprising twist, Justin and Chihwayi filed a counter report, alleging that Mutenda had assaulted them.
Mutenda informed the court that, among his children, only his son supports him, albeit from a distance, while his daughters seemingly side with their mother. He explained that he initially forgave Chihwayi when he first caught her with Justin, as he genuinely loved her and wanted to raise their grandchildren together.
“My wife does not respect me, and there is a subsisting peace order between us, which she applied for. I have been patient since 2020, but I have endured a lot,” Mutenda lamented.
He revealed that he had given Chihwayi a divorce token three times in the absence of her relatives and witnesses because at that time he still loved her. “I assumed she might change, and I wanted us to raise our grandchildren together,” he said.
Despite the pain and humiliation, Mutenda stated that he does not want anything from Justin, except for his wife back. “I don’t want anything from Justin – ngangotore hake mukadzi wangu. Accepting beasts from him would imply that I condone their actions,” he declared.
He also expressed his disappointment in his daughters, who are siding with their mother, while his son supports and advised him to approach the court.
After hearing Mutenda’s testimony, the court found Justin guilty of adultery, fining him three beasts and further ordering him to pay three goats for default. The court also advised Mutenda to formally divorce Chihwayi.
The court noted that this was not the first instance of Justin being caught with a married woman and that, despite previous warnings, he continued his actions, ultimately destroying Mutenda’s marriage. The court also highlighted that the fine imposed by the headman’s court was ignored.
“Justin is hereby ordered to pay Mutenda two beasts as compensation, one beast as a fine, and three goats for defaulting on the court’s previous ruling,” the court ruled. “Furthermore, Mutenda should formally end the marriage by presenting his wife with a divorce token in the presence of witnesses.”
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