News / National
Musorowegomo Mukosi's $200k adultery claim backfires
2 hrs ago |
33 Views
A US$200,000 adultery claim brought by journalist Musorowegomo Mukosi against chartered accountant Kundai Tibugare has escalated into a bitter dispute over the status of Mukosi's marriage, with his wife alleging years of abuse and infidelity while Tibugare's lawyers accuse him of intimidation and possible abuse of office.
Through Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners, Mukosi issued a letter of demand on October 7, accusing Tibugare of having an adulterous relationship with his wife, Esther Jerera.
The claim comprises US$100,000 for contumelia, or injury to dignity, and a further US$100,000 for the alleged loss of his wife's comfort and services.
Tibugare denies the allegations. In a response dated October 8, his lawyers, Chimuka Mafunga, described the claim as baseless and attached an affidavit from Jerera disputing that her marriage to Mukosi remains a functioning relationship.
Mukosi's demand letter alleges that Tibugare and Jerera travelled to South Africa together in July and spent three nights in a hotel room in Madagascar in September. It further alleges that Tibugare bought Jerera a Toyota Fortuner and delivered it to what the letter describes as the matrimonial home.
Mukosi's lawyers questioned why Tibugare would allegedly buy a vehicle for another man's wife while his own wife drove what they called a "small and cheap car".
They also allege that Jerera described herself as the "real Mrs Tibugare", with Tibugare's wife supposedly a "placeholder". The lawyers further accuse the pair of openly displaying their alleged relationship at the University of Zimbabwe, where both are studying law, arguing that their conduct infringes Mukosi's privacy, dignity and reputation.
The demand letter describes Mukosi as "now living a life of a widower".
Tibugare's lawyers rejected the allegations, saying their client had never met or interacted with Mukosi. They questioned how Mukosi had reached his conclusions and described Tibugare as a peace-loving family man.
They also challenged the manner in which the demand was served, alleging that delivering it to Jerera at her workplace and sending it through WhatsApp was intended to provoke conflict within the household.
On the alleged purchase of the Fortuner, the lawyers argued that Jerera, a chartered accountant of more than 11 years, was financially capable of buying such a vehicle herself.
They said the Madagascar trip was work-related and involved nine professionals advising opposing parties in a transaction. Jerera's consultancy, Estvis Consultancy, and Tibugare's organisation were reportedly engaged on opposite sides of the transaction. The lawyers denied that the two shared a hotel room.
In her affidavit, Jerera acknowledges that a marriage certificate exists but maintains that her relationship with Mukosi ended.
She says they married in 2017 and that their marriage was troubled by what she describes as his multiple adulterous affairs. She alleges that Mukosi assaulted her repeatedly in 2021, leading to a 12-month separation.
Jerera further claims that, in January 2022, Mukosi instructed a previous law firm to issue a letter seeking termination of the marriage, custody arrangements, division of property and spousal maintenance.
The couple reconciled around 2023 after counselling, she says, but the alleged emotional, physical and financial abuse resumed. Around October 2025, she says she left their home and moved to her parents' house in Cranborne.
According to Jerera, Mukosi later sent an emissary who accepted that the relationship had ended. She alleges that Mukosi subsequently removed the furniture from their Mandara home, boasting that he could easily replace it.
She maintains that, according to cultural rites, the marriage had ended, although formal termination under civil marriage law remains outstanding.
"The relationship only exists at law by virtue of an un-terminated marriage certificate," she says in the affidavit, adding that "no civil marriage paper can create a non-existing relationship".
Jerera also disputes the claim that her home in Crowhill is matrimonial property. She says she purchased the stand in 2024 using an inheritance from her late parents' estate, built a cottage in 2025 and moved into the property in October that year, before construction was complete.
She insists that she and Mukosi never lived at the property during their marriage and that he had never entered the house or spent a night there.
Her account conflicts with Mukosi's demand letter, which identifies the same address as the matrimonial home where Tibugare allegedly delivered the Fortuner.
Jerera denies having a romantic relationship with Tibugare and challenges Mukosi to produce evidence of the alleged confession.
She says her inheritance enabled her to maintain a decent lifestyle and establish her own firm after Mukosi allegedly told her that she owned nothing. She also criticises what she describes as the belief that a woman could not afford a Toyota Fortuner without a boyfriend buying it for her.
In further allegations, Jerera claims Mukosi slept with a pistol near their bed to intimidate her, unlawfully obtained her call records from Econet and contacted male acquaintances, including a former close friend and her maternal uncle, accusing them of having relationships with her.
She alleges that Mukosi is seeking to publicly shame her and leave her with no option but to depend on him.
Tibugare's lawyers have also accused Mukosi of using a purported position in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to intimidate and harass their client and Jerera.
They claim Mukosi has boasted of being a CIO member with access to extensive records, which they say could explain the airport CCTV footage, flight manifests, hotel footage and call-triangulation information cited in the demand letter.
The lawyers further allege that, on the day they issued their response, Jerera received anonymous calls from women claiming to be Mukosi's sisters. According to the lawyers, the callers threatened her and said they knew which schools Tibugare's children attended.
They described the alleged conduct as a serious abuse of office intended to settle personal scores.
Tibugare's lawyers argue that the evidence cited in Mukosi's demand raises concerns about possible criminal abuse of office. They have reserved the right to lodge complaints with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the Airports Company of Zimbabwe and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, as well as pursue remedies under the Data Protection Act.
However, Mukosi's demand letter does not itself claim that he is affiliated with the intelligence service, and the allegation of a CIO connection has been raised by Tibugare's lawyers.
Tibugare is demanding an apology, a retraction and an expression of regret. His lawyers have urged the parties to de-escalate the dispute.
Through Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners, Mukosi issued a letter of demand on October 7, accusing Tibugare of having an adulterous relationship with his wife, Esther Jerera.
The claim comprises US$100,000 for contumelia, or injury to dignity, and a further US$100,000 for the alleged loss of his wife's comfort and services.
Tibugare denies the allegations. In a response dated October 8, his lawyers, Chimuka Mafunga, described the claim as baseless and attached an affidavit from Jerera disputing that her marriage to Mukosi remains a functioning relationship.
Mukosi's demand letter alleges that Tibugare and Jerera travelled to South Africa together in July and spent three nights in a hotel room in Madagascar in September. It further alleges that Tibugare bought Jerera a Toyota Fortuner and delivered it to what the letter describes as the matrimonial home.
Mukosi's lawyers questioned why Tibugare would allegedly buy a vehicle for another man's wife while his own wife drove what they called a "small and cheap car".
They also allege that Jerera described herself as the "real Mrs Tibugare", with Tibugare's wife supposedly a "placeholder". The lawyers further accuse the pair of openly displaying their alleged relationship at the University of Zimbabwe, where both are studying law, arguing that their conduct infringes Mukosi's privacy, dignity and reputation.
The demand letter describes Mukosi as "now living a life of a widower".
Tibugare's lawyers rejected the allegations, saying their client had never met or interacted with Mukosi. They questioned how Mukosi had reached his conclusions and described Tibugare as a peace-loving family man.
They also challenged the manner in which the demand was served, alleging that delivering it to Jerera at her workplace and sending it through WhatsApp was intended to provoke conflict within the household.
On the alleged purchase of the Fortuner, the lawyers argued that Jerera, a chartered accountant of more than 11 years, was financially capable of buying such a vehicle herself.
They said the Madagascar trip was work-related and involved nine professionals advising opposing parties in a transaction. Jerera's consultancy, Estvis Consultancy, and Tibugare's organisation were reportedly engaged on opposite sides of the transaction. The lawyers denied that the two shared a hotel room.
In her affidavit, Jerera acknowledges that a marriage certificate exists but maintains that her relationship with Mukosi ended.
She says they married in 2017 and that their marriage was troubled by what she describes as his multiple adulterous affairs. She alleges that Mukosi assaulted her repeatedly in 2021, leading to a 12-month separation.
Jerera further claims that, in January 2022, Mukosi instructed a previous law firm to issue a letter seeking termination of the marriage, custody arrangements, division of property and spousal maintenance.
The couple reconciled around 2023 after counselling, she says, but the alleged emotional, physical and financial abuse resumed. Around October 2025, she says she left their home and moved to her parents' house in Cranborne.
She maintains that, according to cultural rites, the marriage had ended, although formal termination under civil marriage law remains outstanding.
"The relationship only exists at law by virtue of an un-terminated marriage certificate," she says in the affidavit, adding that "no civil marriage paper can create a non-existing relationship".
Jerera also disputes the claim that her home in Crowhill is matrimonial property. She says she purchased the stand in 2024 using an inheritance from her late parents' estate, built a cottage in 2025 and moved into the property in October that year, before construction was complete.
She insists that she and Mukosi never lived at the property during their marriage and that he had never entered the house or spent a night there.
Her account conflicts with Mukosi's demand letter, which identifies the same address as the matrimonial home where Tibugare allegedly delivered the Fortuner.
Jerera denies having a romantic relationship with Tibugare and challenges Mukosi to produce evidence of the alleged confession.
She says her inheritance enabled her to maintain a decent lifestyle and establish her own firm after Mukosi allegedly told her that she owned nothing. She also criticises what she describes as the belief that a woman could not afford a Toyota Fortuner without a boyfriend buying it for her.
In further allegations, Jerera claims Mukosi slept with a pistol near their bed to intimidate her, unlawfully obtained her call records from Econet and contacted male acquaintances, including a former close friend and her maternal uncle, accusing them of having relationships with her.
She alleges that Mukosi is seeking to publicly shame her and leave her with no option but to depend on him.
Tibugare's lawyers have also accused Mukosi of using a purported position in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to intimidate and harass their client and Jerera.
They claim Mukosi has boasted of being a CIO member with access to extensive records, which they say could explain the airport CCTV footage, flight manifests, hotel footage and call-triangulation information cited in the demand letter.
The lawyers further allege that, on the day they issued their response, Jerera received anonymous calls from women claiming to be Mukosi's sisters. According to the lawyers, the callers threatened her and said they knew which schools Tibugare's children attended.
They described the alleged conduct as a serious abuse of office intended to settle personal scores.
Tibugare's lawyers argue that the evidence cited in Mukosi's demand raises concerns about possible criminal abuse of office. They have reserved the right to lodge complaints with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the Airports Company of Zimbabwe and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, as well as pursue remedies under the Data Protection Act.
However, Mukosi's demand letter does not itself claim that he is affiliated with the intelligence service, and the allegation of a CIO connection has been raised by Tibugare's lawyers.
Tibugare is demanding an apology, a retraction and an expression of regret. His lawyers have urged the parties to de-escalate the dispute.
Source - zimlive
Join the discussion
Loading comments…
