'Man snatcher' allegations ruin marriage

A Bulawayo woman's marriage is on the brink of a "catastrophic failure" because of allegations that she was "bedding" a married man.

Fungai Phiri claimed Khanyakude Gumbo from Nketa 7 suburb was constantly harassing her while accusing her of sleeping with her husband.

So nasty is the feud that Phiri in a desperate bid to save her marriage, approached the Bulawayo Civil Court seeking a peace order against a violent Gumbo.

In her testimony before magistrate Tinashe Tashaya, Phiri said the accusations that she was a "man stealer" were now ruining her marriage.

"Mrs Khanyakude Gumbo is accusing me of having an extramarital affair with her husband. As a married woman this is now causing problems in my marriage. Our long standing dispute started sometime last year.

"The argument also once degenerated into a fistfight. Since her accusations are now having a negative effect on my marriage, I want the court to help me by granting a peace order against her so that she stops harassing and accusing me of dating her husband," pleaded Phiri.

Gumbo denied the allegations and accused Phiri of being the one disturbing her peace by constantly insulting her.

"The accusations she has levelled against me are not true. I am surprised that she is accusing me of harassing her yet she is the one who has been in the habit of insulting me with vulgar language. It's almost a year since I last communicated with her so how can she have the guts to say I am harassing her?" responded Gumbo.

In his ruling the presiding magistrate however, ordered Gumbo not to verbally, physically and emotionally abuse Phiri and not to communicate with her as well.