Man fined 2 cattle for pursuing brother's widow

A grieving widow has successfully sued her late husband's elder brother at Chief Mutasa's community court, accusing him of repeatedly pursuing an intimate relationship with her while her husband was still alive.

The traditional court ruled in favour of Rosie Chipenzi and ordered Silas Taringa to compensate her with two cattle for conduct deemed inappropriate and disrespectful to his younger brother's marriage.

Chipenzi told the court that Taringa began making advances towards her about two months before her husband died, despite knowing that she was still married to his younger brother.

At the time, Chipenzi was living and working in South Africa, while Taringa and her husband remained in Zimbabwe. She alleged that Taringa repeatedly sent her inappropriate messages and tried to persuade her to enter into an intimate relationship with him.

Disturbed by the alleged advances, Chipenzi said she confronted Taringa and recorded some of their conversations.

"I regarded him as a father-figure in the family, not someone who could be my husband," she said.

Chipenzi alleged that Taringa sent sexually suggestive messages and repeatedly made requests she considered inappropriate.

She said the situation intensified when she returned to Zimbabwe for her husband's funeral.

"I confronted him and told him to stop because I viewed him as a father-figure within the family. Despite that, he continued insisting that I return home so that we could have a relationship," she said.

Chipenzi further alleged that Taringa professed his love for her despite her repeated rejections and presented recordings to the court which she said captured some of their conversations.

Taringa denied pursuing his late brother's wife, saying his interactions with Chipenzi had been misunderstood.

He told the court that his intention had been to persuade her to return to Zimbabwe and reconcile with his brother.

"She is lying about my intentions. At the time, she was in South Africa while my brother was in Zimbabwe. I was simply trying to help bring them back together as a couple," he said.

Taringa acknowledged telling Chipenzi that he loved her but insisted that the statement was not intended as a romantic proposal.

"I tell many people that I love them. In this case, I was trying to persuade her to return home and reunite with her husband," he said.

He also questioned why Chipenzi later selected him during traditional family proceedings following his brother's death.

Taringa said Chipenzi had chosen him under the customary practice of kugara nhaka, through which a deceased man's relative assumes responsibility for the widow and children.

"She gave me the dish of water, symbolising that I was the brother chosen to take responsibility for her and the children. If she did not want me, why did she choose me?" he asked.

Taringa maintained that his interactions with Chipenzi before his brother's death were solely intended to reunite the couple.

His wife, Ethel, also appeared before the traditional court and said she had seen some of the messages exchanged between the two. However, her testimony came under scrutiny, with Chief Mutasa accusing her of failing to provide a truthful account.

In his judgment, Chief Mutasa condemned Taringa's conduct, saying it was inappropriate and inconsistent with his position as an elder in the family.

"You are a father-figure in this family, and what you did was wrong. You should have respected your younger brother's marriage while he was still alive," the traditional leader said.

Chief Mutasa said Taringa should have respected both his late brother and his marriage, adding that such conduct could undermine the deceased's dignity and create divisions within the family.

The court consequently ordered Taringa to compensate Chipenzi with two cattle for his conduct.