A KAROI-BASED magistrate is embroiled in a nasty divorce with her husband, an assistant inspector in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, with the latter accusing the former of emotionally tormenting him and abusing her position as a judicial officer.
BY CHARLES LAITON
In his affidavit filed at the High Court, where he is seeking divorce, Francis Ringisayi said Nyaradzo (nee Tukwa) was engaging in an extra-marital affair with a headmaster and had openly told him she regretted marrying “a police officer, who was not educated”.
According to Francis, the couple got married in 2000 when they were both police officers.
At the time, Francis was an assistant inspector, while Nyaradzo was a constable.
Francis said he had assisted Nyaradzo enrol at the University of Zimbabwe and paid for her tuition until she obtained a law degree. She was then employed by the Judicial Service Commission as a magistrate.
“After attaining her law degree, she started having extra-marital affairs. She started telling me she regretted rushing into this marriage. She told me she was not supposed to get married to a police officer. She told me her boss and workmates are always saying police officers are not educated. This was proven by improperly done dockets brought to their courts every day,” Francis said through his lawyer Norman Mugiya.
“The marriage between the parties has irretrievably broken down to such an extent that there are no prospects of restoration of a normal marriage, more in particular that; the parties have lost love and affection for each other and no longer share conjugal rights.
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“The defendant (Nyaradzo) is engaging in extra-marital affairs and has moved out of the matrimonial home so that she can live with her boyfriend.”
“The defendant has a propensity of abusing the plaintiff (Francis) emotionally to the extent that they no longer communicate to each other with respect. The defendant is a magistrate based in Karoi and has been threatening the plaintiff that he shall suffer because she has influence in the judiciary system and could manipulate it to her favour.”
Francis further said his fears were confirmed when Nyaradzo, despite living in Karoi, filed an application for maintenance in Harare, where she was granted $300 against his earnings of $494.
“Respondent is taking advantage of the fact that she is a magistrate and is able to do what she wants. When she filed a claim with this court, she actually told me she was going to file her claim in Harare and no one would stop her and for sure no one stopped her,” he said.
Francis has since applied for the discharge of the maintenance order under case number M814/16 after Nyaradzo allegedly dumped the children with him in Chinhoyi soon after obtaining the order and the matter is now set to be heard on Wednesday.
“The reason I approached this court to have the order discharged is that when the order was granted, the respondent made an impression that she was the one with the children and that she needed my financial assistance, however, soon after respondent obtained the order, she rushed to dump the kids at my place and she is currently staying with one child, who is aged five years,” Francis said.
“The respondent earns over $800 per month, as a magistrate and I earn $494 as a police officer. All things being equal, she should be maintaining me for obvious reasons.”
Francis said Nyaradzo was in the business of operating taxis in Karoi and had a fleet of about 10 taxis, which gives her about $500 per day.
In response to the arguments, Nyaradzo dismissed Francis’ claims, saying the latter was merely bent on tarnishing her name.
“It is denied that defendant has a propensity of abusing plaintiff. Defendant specifically denies that she has threatened the applicant using his so-called influence. These allegations are being made out of malice. Plaintiff is seeking to tarnish defendants’ good name,” she said through her lawyers, Coghlan, Welsh and Guest.
“It is denied that it was plaintiff, who educated the defendant. The education the defendant acquired was through her own hard work. Defendant denies she is having extra-marital affairs and denies disrespecting plaintiff’s relatives.”
Commenting on why she moved out of the matrimonial home, Nyaradzo said: “Plaintiff booted the defendant out of the matrimonial home in October 2015. He changed the locks to the house and left defendant with no access to the house.
The defendants’ clothes and all movable property are still in the matrimonial home, which is under the control of the plaintiff.”
Nyaradzo also urged the court to dismiss the application, adding she was still living with her children, but accused Francis of being a bad influence to the couples’ kids.
The divorce matter is awaiting set down.
