Lobola dispute threatens marriage after miscarriage claims

A marriage is facing uncertainty just five months after lobola was paid, following a dispute between a couple over claims of pregnancy and a subsequent miscarriage.

Tadiwanashe Mildred Maradzika, 26, and Carlton Nyahunzvi, 26, have reportedly never lived together as husband and wife.

Carlton, who is based in the United Kingdom, alleges that Mildred falsely claimed to be pregnant, prompting him to pay lobola earlier than he had planned. He later questioned the medical records she provided after she reported suffering a miscarriage.

The dispute escalated when Carlton allegedly sent a relative to deliver a token of divorce to Mildred's family, but her parents refused to accept it.

Mildred was subsequently taken from Dangamvura in Mutare, where the roora ceremony was held, to Carlton's home village in Murehwa. However, she was reportedly not accepted by his parents.

After spending two weeks there, she returned to Mutare, where she is now staying with a relative.

Carlton has since approached Chief Mutasa's traditional court, where he intends to formally hand over the divorce token. The matter is expected to be heard tomorrow after several postponements.

The dispute has also drawn in Mildred's mother, Tapuwa Charity Dzinemarira, and a doctor whom Carlton accuses of helping prepare allegedly false medical documents. The doctor could not be reached for comment.

Charity confirmed the dispute but maintained that her daughter had suffered a miscarriage and rejected Carlton's suspicions.

"My son-in-law has approached a traditional court to hand over a token of divorce to my daughter over unfounded allegations," she said.

"My daughter suffered a miscarriage and Carlton suspected that she was not pregnant."

She said Carlton had requested a video recording of the medical procedure, but the family was not permitted to record it. She added that he continued to question the medical records because he was based in the UK.

Charity said the family refused to accept the divorce token delivered by Carlton's brothers and insisted that he should appear before the traditional court in person.

"Carlton must attend the court and not be represented by his brothers in a matter directly involving him, considering that he paid lobola," she said.

She added that her daughter had been humiliated during her stay in Murehwa and had since returned to Mutare while awaiting the court proceedings.

Carlton, however, said he no longer wished to continue with the marriage, insisting that the medical documents he received were false.

"I loved my wife but she decided to enter the marriage with falsehood," he said.

He alleged that Mildred's pregnancy claim had pressured him into paying lobola earlier than intended and that he subsequently contacted the hospital where the miscarriage was reportedly treated.

Carlton further claimed that the doctor named by the family was not on duty on the day in question and accused him of assisting with false documents. These allegations have not been independently verified.

"I no longer want to take Mildred as my wife. That is why I am seeking justice before the traditional courts," he said.

Mildred could not be reached for comment. H-Metro reported that it was in possession of the medical records, which Carlton disputes.

The traditional court is expected to hear the matter and consider the dispute between the two families.