MUZVEZVE – A marriage spanning thirty-seven years, blessed with three children and seven grandchildren, has tragically ended in a scandal that has deeply affected the Muzvezve constituency. Calisto Marezva, a 62-year-old senior teacher with over four decades of experience in education, has reportedly left his marital home to live with a woman who was once his student.
This development has not only broken a long-standing partnership but has also sparked a heated legal dispute. The case involves serious allegations of adultery, cyberbullying, and a significant claim for damages, which is among the highest ever sought in Zimbabwean civil law.
Calisto, a respected senior teacher at Donain Secondary School, where he has served for 43 years, reportedly moved out of the home he shared with his wife, Diana Dorothea Gundu, in January of last year. He has since taken up residence at the Donain Shopping Centre with Lillian Komboni, who operates a local bar there. This move represents a dramatic shift from the life he built with Diana, to whom he was legally married under the Marriage Act, Chapter 5:11. This particular act stipulates a monogamous union, meaning a marriage to one person at a time.
The local community in Muzvezve is now grappling with the ethical questions raised by a seasoned educator forming a relationship with a former pupil. While the legal age of consent and the right of two adults to enter a relationship are clear, the professional and moral implications of this situation have caused considerable distress to the Gundu family.
Following the separation, tensions between Diana and Lillian have escalated, leading to several public and legal confrontations. Reports indicate that the two women have appeared in court multiple times, each seeking peace orders against the other. These legal proceedings have been complicated by accusations of cyberbullying, as the private anguish of the marriage breakdown has spilled over into social media and other digital platforms.
In her pursuit of justice, Diana initiated a lawsuit for adultery damages late last year, under case number NO46/25. She is seeking a substantial sum of US$50,000 from Lillian Komboni, citing the profound damage caused to her nearly four-decade-long marriage.
Court documents, which H-Metro has obtained, clearly outline the specifics of Diana’s claim:
“The plaintiff named above (Diana) has instituted proceedings against you (Lillian) claiming adultery damages for US$50,000, along with costs of the suit. A statement of the plaintiff’s claim against you is set out in the particulars of the claim, a copy of which is attached hereto, annexed to the summons.”
The summons also included a stern warning to Lillian regarding the consequences of not responding:
“If you wish to oppose any of the plaintiff’s claims, you must: (a) Enter an appearance to defend in the Magistrate Court of Zimbabwe within seven (7) days after service of summons; and (b) Notify the plaintiff or her/his legal practitioners in writing at the address given below of the entry of appearance to defend, providing an address for service within five kilometres of the court specified above, along with a postal address.”
The US$50,000 claim is particularly significant given the current legal landscape in Zimbabwe. Historically, adultery damages were often symbolic rather than substantial. However, recent years have shown a notable change in the High Court’s approach to the “delictual claim” of adultery. For instance, in a similar case last year, Justice Joel Mambara awarded US$25,000 to a woman in Masvingo. This indicates a growing willingness by the courts to impose considerable financial penalties for both “loss of consortium” (the loss of a spouse’s companionship and intimacy) and “contumelia” (the injury and insult to the dignity of the wronged spouse).
By pursuing a US$50,000 claim, Diana Gundu is placing her case at the higher end of such demands, reflecting the profound “loss of comfort” she claims to have suffered after 37 years of marriage.
Lillian Komboni faced increased legal pressure on 14 January this year when she received a second set of summons. The message was unequivocal:
“Be pleased to take notice that the defendant is hereby required to file her response to the plaintiff’s claim within five days of this notice, failing which it is the plaintiff’s intention to apply for a default judgment.”
This scandal has cast a considerable shadow over Calisto Marezva’s distinguished career. As a senior teacher who has dedicated 43 years to educating young minds, his decision to cohabit with a former student at the very shopping centre where she runs her business has become a focal point of local discussion. In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has clear ethical guidelines concerning the conduct of teachers, especially regarding relationships with students—whether current or former—where there is a potential for an imbalance of power or a breach of professional trust.
As this case progresses towards either a default judgment or a full trial, the Gundu family remains deeply affected. What was once a stable home, nurturing seven grandchildren, has now become a cautionary tale about a veteran educator’s late-life choices. For Diana Gundu, the struggle extends beyond the husband who left; it is about the legal acknowledgment of the thirty-seven years she invested in a marriage that ultimately ended at the doorstep of a former student’s bar.
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