Chief Marange's wives sue senior wife

PENDING the registration of the estate of the late Marange Chief, Gilbert Marange, who succumbed to malaria earlier this month, his four young wives have taken to the courts seeking refuge against their core and senior wife and her son.

The late Chief Marange's first wife Sofia Kamunda and her son, Ian Marange are being accused of emotionally and physically abusing the other four wives, Oreta Bundo, Joyleen Zambuko, Martha Nyambire and Emilia Matiashe.

The court was filled to the brim with members of the Marange clan who had come to witness the proceedings at the Mutare Magistrates' Civil Court on Wednesday with most of the late Chief Marange's brothers sitting outside.

Miss Nyasha Kuture presided over the matter.
The four wives of the late Chief Marange outside Mutare Magistrates Civil Court on Wednesday

In their application, the four junior wives stated that Kamunda was disturbing their peace emotionally and physically by threatening them with unspecified actions if they did not leave their matrimonial homestead in Marange.

They also wrote that she was denying them access to the premises and business enterprises that were being run by their late husband before his death. It was stated that by denying the four access to the business enterprises, they were being subjected to economic abuse.

Kamunda and Marange were in consent with the granting of the protection order application, through her lawyer Mr Justin Fusire of Legal Aid Directorate. They however, denied ever denying the other four junior wives access to food.

"They are not being denied any access to any food whatsoever Your Worship, rather there is no food at the home and if there is any, they should not be afraid of getting it at their home. Let them go and get it," said Mr Fusire on behalf of his two clients.

The protection order was granted by consent of both parties.

Miss Kuture said the protection order would not prejudice Kamunda and her son in any way if they were not doing anything to disturb the other wives' peace. She however, emphasized that if after the granting of the protection order, Kamunda and her son threatened, abused or disturbed Bundo, Zambuko, Nyambire and Matiashe's peace, they would see themselves behind bars.