MUTINTA MULAYE writes
SunZambian
THE Boma Local Court in Lusaka has ordered a carpenter of Zani Muone area to pay his former father-in-law K3, 000 being balance of the dowry he was charged.
This was a case in which Patson Malunga, 49, of Chibombo sued George Katumwa, 37, to pay him K7, 500 if he wanted custody of his children.
Malunga told senior local court magistrate Peggy Nyambe that he wanted Katumwa to pay the money after he eloped with his daughter in 2006.
“I charged him K3, 500 and he only paid K400. He had three children with my daughter. In 2014, he denied her and they got divorced,”
“In 2016, he came to get the children but I refused him to do so and told him to pay the balance from the dowry for him to get the children. He told me to give him two weeks. From that time it’s like we are still within the two weeks because he has not gotten back to me since then,” Malunga said.
He said Katumwa bought his daughter summons at the Magistrates Court for custody of his children in 2019.
In defence Katumwa told the court that he was willing to pay for him to get his children.
“I bought a summon at the magistrate court because I saw that my ex-wife is failing to keep our children. Moreover, one of my children died a sudden death and it wasn’t even properly communicated to me,” Katumwa said.
The court found that Malunga slept on his rights by suing for the dowry balance after 13 years and was only suing because Katumwa wanted his children.
Magistrate Nyambe however ordered Katumwa to pay Malunga K3,000.
