Wedding cancelled. . . Hubby stops estranged wife's marriage to lover

WHAT was supposed to be a special day for a Bulawayo woman ended in utter shame after her secret wedding with her lover was dramatically stopped at the Bulawayo Civil Court by a man who claimed to be her husband.

The embarrassing incident, which left onlookers, who were attending to their own court businesses shocked, happened on Friday last week.

Charles Ndlovu turned into a drama king when he stormed into the court moments before his estranged wife Sithembelenkosini Ncube (31) from Nketa 7 suburb exchanged vows with Dominion Mguni (35) from Barbourfields surburb.

It is reported that Ndlovu could not believe his eyes as he found his wife wearing a wedding dress while standing next to the groom.

According to a witness, Ndlovu said the wedding ceremony could not continue as Ncube was still his wife as the two were yet to divorce.

Ndlovu and Ncube got married on 25 September 2015 and are reportedly waiting for the finalisation of their divorce which is still pending at the Bulawayo High Court under case Number HC1921/ 16. Reverend Paul Bayethe Damasane, who was the presiding marriage officer on the day in question, was reportedly kept busy as guests inquired if he was aware of the outstanding issues.

Ndlovu got to know about his estranged wife's wedding plans from one of his friends after which he rushed to court to stop the wedding.

"This woman is still my wife. We haven't divorced.

This wedding can't go on.

I was phoned by a friend telling me she was at the courts wedding another man, that is why I rushed here," a visibly distraught Ndlovu reportedly said.

"He said he could not allow Sithembelenkosini to take on another man, as her husband because they were still legally married," said a witness who chose to remain anonymous.

Ndlovu's claim reportedly left the people who were attending the ceremony shocked.

The presiding marriage officer subsequently cancelled the wedding after Ndlovu proved that he was still married to Ncube.

The groom-to-be, who reportedly didn't know that the bride was still married, was also left dumbfounded.

Mguni, whose wedding day turned into a nightmare, was tight-lipped when B-Metro contacted him.

"I don't have a comment," was all he said.

Although, Ncube could not be reached for comment, B-Metro established that the stopped wedding was supposed to be her third marriage.

Giving his side of the story Ndlovu said: "When I stopped the wedding, I didn't act out of bitterness, but it was because Ncube was not being honest with her new partner after she lied to him that she was not married.

I got married to Ncube about six years ago and we stayed together for about two years before we went separate ways."

He said his estranged wife was the one who was in possession of their marriage certificate.

"Before we separated, I busted her on three different occasions while cheating on me.

On the first occasion I found her talking to her lover who was complimenting her saying he was missing her ‘sweet' kisses.

"On the second occasion she lied to me that she was going to her rural home before a friend of mine later bumped into her at a local fast-food outlet with a boyfriend and lastly, she lied to me that she was going to church while she was also going out with her boyfriend.

"I was also arrested on three separate occasions after we fought over this issue of boyfriends," said Ndlovu as he showed a scar on his forehead which he claimed he sustained after one of Ncube's alleged boyfriends hit him with an iron bar.

He said he later discovered that the boyfriend in question was indeed Ncube's former husband, adding that he was now planning to sue his estranged wife for adultery.