Court reconciles woman, son-in-law
By Charles Musonda
JOYCE Phiri and her son-in-law Thomas Banda have reconciled with the help of a local court in a matter in which Phiri sued Banda for defamation of character.
Banda had called her a witch, accusing her of bewitching him.
Phiri said Banda accused her of witchcraft at a meeting called to resolve differences between him and her daughter who is his wife.
Banda’s wife had been denying him his conjugal rights by sleeping in trousers and refusing to shave his pubic hair.
Phiri said during the meeting she learned that Banda had told his aunt that Phiri had bewitched him.
“I want him to tell this court who told his aunt that I am a witch. I want him to compensate me with K800 for destroying my name,” she said.
But Matero Local Court senior magistrate Harriet Mulenga asked Phiri if she was going to continue suing people as that was not the first time she was in her court as a plaintiff.
Banda’s aunt told the court Phiri showered insults on her family during the same meeting.
Magistrate Mulenga reconciled the parties on grounds that they were in-laws and one family.
She told them to respect and love one another.
Mulenga said it was not in dispute that there was a bitter exchange of words in the meeting, but the court’s duty was not to divide families but to unite them.
The parties walked back home in relative peace.
