Wife bribes lover's wife to keep affair secret

A Mutare man was left devastated after discovering that his wife allegedly paid money to her married lover's wife in an attempt to conceal their affair.

The revelations emerged before Chief Mutasa's community court last Saturday, where Farai Chiroto confronted his wife, Enelesi Muchiko, and her alleged lover, Misheck Wafangepi, over an affair that reportedly took place while the two couples lived as neighbours.

Chiroto told the court that he had long suspected that Muchiko was involved with Wafangepi but had been unable to substantiate the rumours.

"This whole matter started with rumours. People kept telling me that this man was having an affair with my wife, but I had no proof," Chiroto said.

He said he eventually learned that Wafangepi's wife had allegedly caught the pair together and demanded compensation.

"I later discovered that his wife had caught them red-handed. When she confronted them, my wife and this man allegedly tried to pay her to keep the matter secret," he said.

According to Chiroto, Wafangepi's wife told him that the couple had each been ordered to pay US$300 after being caught.

"She confirmed everything to me. She said my wife was supposed to pay US$300 and her husband was also expected to pay US$300. My wife only paid US$80," he said.

Chiroto said the alleged attempt to conceal the affair was particularly painful.

"What hurt me most was the reason for the payment. They were not paying because they were innocent. They were paying so that I would never find out," he said.

He said Wafangepi initially denied the allegations when confronted but later admitted to the affair.

"At first he acted as if nothing had happened. But I told him my wife had already revealed what had been going on. That is when he finally admitted it," Chiroto said.

The betrayed husband further alleged that Wafangepi took advantage of his work schedule to meet his wife at a tuckshop situated in the family's yard.

"This man knew my movements. He would wait for me to leave for work and my wife would close the tuckshop early. He would be intimate with my wife inside my own tuckshop, in my own yard," he said.

"We are neighbours. That is what makes this even more painful."

Wafangepi did not dispute the allegations and admitted to the affair.

"I started the relationship with his wife in February, and we were caught in May. We slept together twice," he told the court.

"It happened in their tuckshop. I knew she was married and I am also married. I have a wife and two children."

Muchiko also admitted to being unfaithful to her husband.

"I have four children with my husband and I admit that I cheated with Wafangepi," she said.

In his ruling, Chief Mutasa condemned the affair, saying it had damaged two marriages and affected both families.

"You cannot solve a problem by paying someone to hide it. The truth eventually comes out," the chief said.

"What happened here affected two families. There is a husband who was betrayed, and there is also a wife who discovered that her marriage was being interfered with."

Chief Mutasa ordered Muchiko to compensate Wafangepi's wife with either one beast or US$350 for damaging her marriage.

Wafangepi was ordered to compensate Chiroto with five head of cattle.

The chief warned that marital infidelity has consequences beyond the individuals involved, particularly for children and extended families.

"Marriages should be protected. When people make such decisions, they must understand that their actions do not affect only two individuals. Children and entire families can suffer," he said.