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Fortious Nhambura Senior Features Writer
FOR six days she was reported to be missing. No trace had been left as clue of her movements. No one had seen her along any of the many village paths going either to fetch water or forage for firewood. It was just strange that an adult would vanish into thin air just like that. Police were contemplating opening a missing person file for Tafadzwa Mugari (18) – they only had to wait for the mandatory 14 days.

On the sixth day Tafadzwa Mugari resurfaced.

The married pregnant woman was not dead, but was locked in a room with a boyfriend at an adjacent homestead a stone’s throw away. The two lovebirds – Tafadzwa and her lover Brian Singereti (26) – agreed to camp in their hut and not step outside in preparation for their escape from Shekede Village in Mhondoro.

Tafadzwa spent the bulk of the week enjoying herself with her lover until Brian’s sister spilled the beans.

For the week she had to use the “bucket system” to relieve herself for fear of being spotted by the search party.

She was only discovered by her aunt, Shupikai Matanhire, inside her lover’s hut after a week.

She said they had planned to elope leaving behind her husband, Trymore Matanhire (26). The two had been married for four months.

The entire village is still bewildered by the incident but for Tafadzwa it is business as usual as she is back with her husband.

After the incident Tafadzwa and her husband have reignited their love and are again living together and sharing the matrimonial bed.

The Herald went to Mhondoro to follow up on the tragi-comic love triangle which was first reported in our sister paper, Kwayedza, but did not find the couple – the legitimate one, at least – but they were reported to have gone to Norton.

But Tafadzwa does not appear to have been shaken by her own drama.

She told Kwayedza: “Indeed, I ran away from my husband’s place when he had gone to do paid work (maricho) destroying tobacco plant residues. I went to Singereti’s home where I was locked inside the home. I even had to relieve myself in a bucket for fear of being spotted by my husband and his relations.

“I used to peep through the window to see and hear my husband and his relatives talk about my missing. Our plan was to run away with Singereti to a faraway place where we would enjoy our lives. The getaway plan became more difficult for us when the entire village was told that I was missing.”

She said Singereti’s sister had played the go-between.

“Singereti’s sister had proposed for her brother and I accepted. We started seeing each other secretly. Our love grew and days turned into weeks and months until I decided to elope to his place while my husband was away.

“There wasn’t much that I used to get from Singereti save to say I had deeply fallen in love with him. I don’t know what had gotten me to accept a proposal from another man while I was married to Matanhire. It never crossed my mind that one day my husband would get to know about the affair,” she said.

Tafadzwa is even not sure who among the two rival suitors is responsible for her pregnancy.

Shupikai, Trymore’s sister, said following their search for her sister-in-law and thinking she was dead they went to the police to report her as missing.

“I only head through rumours that she was camping with her lover at a homestead only 200 metres away. We went to check for her only to find her locked inside a smelly room. Singereti refused to release her, threatening to axe anyone who tried to take her away from him,” she said.

They had to seek the assistance of police officers at Marirangwe Police Post.

Shupikai says she has no problem with her sister-in-law and would support her brother’s re- union with Tafadzwa if he chooses to take her back.

“I love my sister-in-law. We took her by force from Singereti’s place with the help of a police officer. We are not on talking terms with Singereti and his family. We also intend to take up the case with Chief Nyamweda’s court. Whatever the court says is what we will accept as compensation, ” she said.

Matanhire expressed happiness at having his wife back and looks forward to getting compensation for the adulterous liaison she had with Singereti.

He said the incident had not eroded his love for Tafadzwa.

“I don’t know what I wronged my wife for her to treat me this way. I sacrifice to do everything for her even though I do not have enough money. I am unemployed by I always try my utmost best to provide for the family and make her happy.

“Despite what happened I still love my wife. We got married in April this year. I paid $35 (tsvakirai kuno) to her grandmother, Mbuya Lisbert Mugari.’’

Shupikai said chances are Tafadzwa would not return to Mhondoro until the situation was calm. Singereti had a different story saying Tafadzwa was actually forcing herself on him.

“I only fell in love with her for less than a week before she eloped. She used to come here to fetch drinking water and we talked. That is how we fell in love. I told her I was married and would not entertain taking a second wife.

“She said she had no husband but later changed to say she had been tricked into marrying Matanhire, who is also far much older than her and was opting out. On the day in question she came here in the morning to fetch water. She even took with her my headphones only to return after an hour saying she had eloped.

“As we were arguing over the matter, she phoned her grandmother saying she had moved from her husband and would be coming home to introduce her new man. I think she is abnormal. How can you elope with nothing, not even clothing?” Singereti asked.

He said he could not release Tafadzwa when she was discovered because he actually feared the Matanhires would attack him.

“There were 14 people from the same family demanding that they take Tafadzwa home. I felt it was not safe for her thus I demanded police intervention as a way of making sure she was safe. I actually intended to send her home to Marange,” he said.

Singereti said he was now in trouble with his wife who has gotten wind of the affair.

“I have learnt a lesson. I still have to meet my wife and in-laws to explain myself. I will have to pay damages to her,” he said.

Sabhuku Shekede, Dickson Muzondo, said he only knew of the incident when police wrote him a letter instructing him help Tafadzwa get her clothes from Matanhire’s place.

“Constable Sithole wrote a letter to me asking me to accompany Tafadzwa to Matanhire’s place to get her clothes. I then instructed the two feuding parties to come to my court for mediation but on the day we did not talk much as Tafadzwa and Matanhire reconciled and left for home.

“We have, however, set tomorrow (Sunday) and we aim to bring finality to the case, failing which we will take it to Chief Nyamweda,” he added.

Sabhuku Shekede said his problem was that most of the people in the village where not related and had come from the nearby farms.

“The greatest problem is these people behave in the manner they do in the farm compounds and have no respect for other people’s families,” he said

Tafadzwa lost both her parents when she was very young and was raised by her grandmother, Mbuya Lisbert Mugari

Contacted for comment, Mbuya Mugari, who said she was in Bocha, Marange, said she was aware of what transpired in Mhondoro.

Mbuya Mugari said as far as she was concerned, Tafadzwa was not married but was cohabiting with Matanhire.

“I have not received anything from those people. As far as I am concerned, they are not married. In April Matanhire’s sister came here with Tafadzwa to tell me that they had taken my child. Since then I haven’t heard a word from them. They have never set foot here. I am still waiting to hear from them.

“What I say to the Matanhires is, if you have problems with my granddaughter just bring her back. I am not aware of the full details of what transpired in Mhondoro and I am waiting to be briefed. I have heard the story of her escapades and am embarrassed.

“I thought she had found her own matrimonial bliss unaware that it would bring to us this shame. Witchcraft and prostitution do not break relations, I say bring her home,” she said.

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