Woman pays lobola for herself

A man on Tuesday told the court of a bizarre case in which his wife paid her own lobola after she fell pregnant to avoid conflict with her parents.

Talent Kanjere said he had no intention to marry Agnes Mbachi, but she paid lobola with her own money on his behalf.

Kanjere made the revelations at the Harare Civil Court where he was seeking a protection order against Mbachi.

"I never paid lobola for her, but she did it herself because she was pregnant by me," he said.

Kanjere told magistrate Mr Trevor Nyatsanza that Mbachi was in the habit of verbally and physically abusing him, the latest incident being in November last year.

"I want this honourable court to grant my application because I want peace in my life," Kanjere said.

Mbachi denied the allegations levelled against her by Kanjere and accused him of being the aggressor.

"At times I had to sleep in the garage because he was in the habit of physically abusing me during the night," she said.

Mbachi claimed Kanjere paid the lobola before they started living together as husband and wife.

Mr Nyatsanza dismissed Kanjere's application for lack of merit.

"The applicant failed to substantiate his claims therefore his application for a protection order is hereby dismissed," he said.