Man marries small house after sending wife on Prophet TB Joshua trip

A ZIMBABWE Power Company employee from Hwange who made headlines last week after sending his wife to controversial prophet TB Joshua in Nigeria so that he could marry his longtime lover while she was away, is understood to have finally evaded his relatives who blocked his first attempt and married his small house in Bulawayo.

According to a source close to the developments, after the disruption of the first ceremony at the Hwange Magistrates' Courts on 12 September, Mandla Sibiya and Simisani Sibanda hatched up a plan to have the ceremony done in Bulawayo, far from contending relatives.

"After the embarrassment they suffered on that day, the two became even more adamant and bent on having their way before Sibiya's wife arrived. They decided to tie the knot away from potential disturbances. This time he only took his witness and that of Simisani to Bulawayo to get the ceremony done quickly before his wife's return.

"We were told that she had not arrived since then and I'm not even sure she is aware of what is happening back home," said the source.

Nokuthula Masukume, who had earlier been thought to have left Nigeria, had still not arrived at the time of the two's marriage, amid speculation that she might have decided to stay longer and consult TB Joshua on the matter.

Since the developments, Sibiya is said to be at loggerheads with his family members including his brother, Kisswell Kenyu who had a scuffle with him after discovering his intentions, resulting in property that included windows being damaged at the company house where Sibiya stays.

"I was surprised to hear from him (Sibiya) that they had finally married, making one wonder because I'm made to understand that the law recognises customary marriages," said another source.

Last week, Sibiya's intentions to marry Sibanda while his customary wife, Masukume, was away in Nigeria were dashed after members of his family and that of Sibanda caught wind of his plans and rushed to the court where they blocked the union.

Efforts to get a comment from either Sibiya or Sibanda were fruitless as their phones were not reachable.

Some of his family members have called for the nullification of the union citing his marriage to Masukume.