Man bashes father with brick for impregnating late brother's wife

It is said honour your father and mother for more days to be added in your life, but not so for Sakubva children who teamed up to harass their father for impregnating another woman.

The Manyikas of Chinyausunzi in Sakubva, Mutare appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiwundura last week, with the father Abel Manyika (61) teaming up with his late brother's wife whom he impregnated, Talent Manyika (28) and his mother, Selina Manyika to square up against Tapiwa, Blessing and Charity Manyika praying for a peace order.

Abel, Talent and Selina argued that Abel's children were disturbing their peace and the courts should help to stop them. The bone of contention between the feuding parties was Abel's decision to inherit his late brother's wife, Talent. Testifying in court, Abel said he took over his late brother's estate when he died and this also included his wife Talent and the two are now expecting their first child. This did not go down well with his children who accused him of neglecting their mother for his newly found love. The children allegedly teamed up to harass him, together with his inherited wife.

"My first born son, Tapiwa attacked me with a brick on my left side just because I impregnated my late brother's wife. Your worship, I was humiliated by my son's unrully behaviour and the guts to attack me his biological father," he said.

Their grandmother, Selina also testified in court and accused Tapiwa, Blessing and Charity of taking over her late son's land.

"Your Worship, they have taken over my late sons, Moses and Talkmore's land. They do not even respect me as their grandmother. Charity is violent like a man, as she is fighting my daughter-in-law tooth and nail. She at one time put chillies on Talent's clothes and blankets,' she said.

Talent who is seven months pregnant told the court that on 1 January 2012, Charity put chillies on her blankets and clothes and she could not sleep the whole night. They are my step-children because I was inherited by their father. I am also carrying their father's baby, but they assault me. I want them to respect me like their mother," she said.

Responding to the allegations, Tapiwa who was in possession of his parents' marriage certificate, told the court that his father was not supposed to marryu another wife.

"My father is not supposed to have another wife both customarily or legally because his marriage with our mother is still binding," he said.

Tapiwa also denied ever insulting or assaulting his father and taking over his late uncle's land. Charity denied putting chillies on her stepmother's blankets and clothes.

"We only had a fight and I threatened her, but I never put some chillies on her blankets," she said.

Blessing opposed his father and grandmother's application for a peace order and said: "I oppose their application because I have done nothing to them."

In her ruling, Mrs Chiwundura said the children were fighting a mother's battle but she should be the one in court holding the marriage certificate not them. She also said Selina's claims against her grandchildren lacked facts. Mrs Chiwundura, however, granted the peace order and ordered both parties to co-exist.