Mother, son fight over lobola

AN elderly Zimunya woman believed to be in her early 60s is embroiled in a nasty fight with her step-son over the ownership of a herd of cattle paid as lobola for one of her three daughters, as well as other property that were left behind by her late husband.

Manica Post reported that Chido Mandiwanza who was the second wife of Charles Kareyi's late father approached the courts seeking a protection order against her step-son and his siblings.

 Yeukai Chigodora heard the matter.

Mandiwanza told the court that Charles was disturbing her peace by trying to seize the cattle that she had received as lobola from her son-in-law in 2012.

She said: "He took the cattle registration book and attempted to change the ownership. I am only doing things according to the will that my husband wrote before he died in 2002. He was no longer in good books with his two elder sons, Charles's brothers whom I suspect are sending this boy to disturb my peace and take my belongings. My husband wrote that those two boys were old enough and they would not inherit anything after his death.

"Everything was distributed accordingly, including banana and mango trees. In that case I was given a portion with mango trees, while Charles and his siblings got a side with bananas. Surprisingly he came and forcibly harvested my mango fruits some months ago arguing that they belonged to the whole family. The law should take its course now Your Worship. I am no longer enjoying the proceeds from the estate of my late husband and I have had enough of his insults and disturbances," said Mandiwanza.

She further said Charles was in the habit of visiting her home at night to insult her as well as disturb her sleep. In response, Charles disputed the allegations that were being levelled against her by his step-mother.

Instead he told the court that Mandiwanza was going against what their father had instructed them before his death.

"She is doing things her own way because of greediness. Our late father was a polygamist and said all the cattle that come as bride prices for our married and yet to be married sisters shall be family property. It therefore means that the six cattle that came after my sister was married belong to all of us. Surprisingly she sold two of them without the family's consent.

"Her daughters are our father's children and she is only trying to create hatred between us as children," said Charles. He added that he never insulted Mandiwanza.

However, Mandiwanza produced before the court a will that her late husband left. Chigodora told them to take the issue to the High Court since there was a will involved, but granted the protection order in favour of Mandiwanza. She ordered Charles to stop visiting her step-mother's premises, insulting her and disturbing her peace.