A Lusaka man from Kamaila area has been granted divorce after repeatedly denying his wife, Clara Phiri, due to a 2022 incident where she slept outside their home.
Clara, 28, defended her actions, citing escape from her husband Luckson’s vi0lent be@tings.
The couple, married since 2014 with two children, were active members of the United Church of Zambia.
However, Clara described their relationship as tumultuous, with Luckson’s short temper making her a frequent victim of domestic vi0lence.
The court’s decision brings an end to the troubled 10-year marriage.
“He beats me too much. He was working at Protea Hotel before he lost his job, so when he gets back from drinking he would be@t me.”
“He ended up in police cells while I remained admitted in hospital. We called him at the Indian’s place but he refused. We have been on separation for three years now and he doesn’t bring any support,” said Clara.
She said that one day, Phiri started be@ting her at the middle of the night, and she had to run away from home while n@ked.
In another separate incident, Clara ran away from home and slept in the bush, all in fear of being be@ten, until her family rescued her in the morning. This is the one time that Phiri has failed to forgive her for sleeping out, as he would have preferred her enduring his be@tings all night.
In his defence, Phiri said what hurt him the most in their relationship was the day she slept out from 19:00 hours to 11:00 hours the next day all because he wanted to beat her.
“She was my wife. Yes I would beat her and would sleep in police cells while she was at the hospital. But 2 weeks after the incident, she went to sleep out from 19:00 hours to 11:00 hours and said she slept in the bush in 2022.
“We have been sat down by families and the village Induna, 6 times, and on the seventh, we went to the sub court, where I denied her too, until we came here for an official divorce,” said Phiri.
Going by the serial GBV that was in the marriage, the court did not delay to grant the couple divorce and ordered that Phiri compensate Clara with K8,000.
“The Child aged six will be with the mother and maintained by K500 monthly, while the other boy aged 10 will be with the father. Household goods to be shared equally.
The Farm to be valued and 60 percent to go to the husband while 40 percent shall be for the wife,” said Magistrate Lewis Mumba.
