Man pay 5 beasts in damages for adultery with subordinate's wife

A GUTU businessman was forced to pay five beasts in damages for having an adulterous relationship with his subordinate's wife.
Hilary Chingini, who runs a fleet of commuter omnibuses under the name, Extra Miles, pleaded not guilty to a charge of adultery when he appeared before Chief Gutu but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
One of his commuter omnibuses was attached by the Messenger of Court until he pays five beasts or $2,000 cash to Patricia Bhupai's husband for the offence.
It is alleged that sometimes in September last year, Chingini proposed love to Bhupai, his former employee's wife and offered her a laptop in a bid to entice her to leave her husband for him. The court heard that Bhupai informed her husband who confronted his former boss but he denied the allegation but later on sent some people to apologise after his subordinate had threatened to take the matter to the civil court.
On September 8, the matter was taken to Chief Gutu who summoned Chingini but he ignored the order. Repeated efforts to make him appear before the Chief's court were made but he did not turn up.
The matter was eventually referred to the Civil Court and again Chingini did not turn up forcing Gutu resident magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini to pass judgement in his absence.
Vhitorini upheld Chief Gutu's ruling and ordered Chingini to pay five head of cattle or $2,000 to the complainant in damages.
On Wednesday Chingini applied for condonation and Vhitorini ordered him to pay $332 incurred by the complainant in expenses before his appeal could be heard.
Agatha Gabriel stood for the State.