RABECCA BANDA writes
A LUSAKA woman has been ordered to pay K1, 000 for defamation of character in the Chilenje local court.
Miriam Mutale, 30,of Woodlands was sued by her former landlord Mukumbuta Muyu,38, a cleaner of Chalala.
Muyu explained that Mutale told her friend that she was having a relationship with her (Mutale’s) husband.
“I was at home when my friend came and told me that she met Mutale by the roadside. Mutale told her that I was going out with her husband,” she said.
Muyu demanded proof from Mutale that she was indeed going out with her husband.
“She has defamed my name by going round telling people that I was sleeping with her husband,.
“I never had a relationship with her husband. I and my husband only helped by sharing our food with Mutale’s husband when she was not around,” she said
She said her accusations had created problems in her marriage
“I explained the matter to my husband and he is very upset. We have not been having sex because of the same issue,” she said.
The two were appearing before senior presiding local court magistrate Ackim Phiri sitting with magistrate Patrick Nyirenda.
Mutale said she and her husband were renting Muyu’s house.
“I had travelled to the village in Mpika for a few months and when I returned my husband had shifted out of Muyu’s house because of disputes,
“I heard that Muyu was cooking for my husband when I wasn’t around and when I met Muyu’s friend, we talked but I never said that Muyu had relationship with my husband,” she said.
“Because I had just given birth and couldn’t appear in court, my older sister suggested to end the matter out of court,” she said.
She wanted to pay Muyu a K2, 000 so that the case can be dropped but the latter said she wanted a K2, 500 although she was willing to accept K2,000..
The court ordered the woman to pay K1, 000 compensation with the first instalment of K500 effective next month.
