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Fungai Lupande Senior Court Reporter
FORMER Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr Edwin Muguti’s wife has filed for divorce at the High Court accusing him of adultery. Tapiwa Mercy Muguti (nee Mukandi) claims that their marriage has irretrievably broken down. She is demanding 100 percent share of their Vainona house and another one on a stand in Manresa measuring 4 000 square metres and farm property, among other properties.

Tapiwa says Dr Muguti was having an adulterous affair, as such she no longer loved him and there were no prospects for reconciliation.

“The marriage has irretrievably broken down such that there is no prospect for the restoration of a normal marriage relationship,” read the summons. Dr Muguti argued that Tapiwa was demanding what was not due to her.

He admitted that their marriage has irretrievably broken down, but blamed his wife for denying him conjugal rights.

“Muguti entered in a de facto polygamous marriage with full knowledge and consent that he has four children with his second wife,” read the court papers. “The plaintiff (Tapiwa) denied the defendant conjugal rights and conducted herself in a manner that made the defendant feel unsafe in his matrimonial home, thereby prompting him to move out.”

Dr Muguti said he acquired the Vainona stand on his own and used proceeds of his previous divorce settlement.

“There is no dwelling house as such, but only a temporary prefabricated structure,” he said. “This property was acquired by the defendant independent of the plaintiff and for the benefit of his second wife and children from his second marriage.”

Dr Muguti said the same stand was auctioned to satisfy a judgment debt.

Regarding the other house that Tapiwa was claiming, Dr Muguti said it was in his name, but was not transferable, unless there was approval from Government.

“Parties do not co-own the livestock on the farm and in any event the numbers are inflated,” he said. “The tractor, the grinding mill, the sonic and KB 300 are sorely owned by the defendant, the Prado was written off after an accident.

“The Honda Fit and the Canter belong to the plaintiff and defendant has no interest in them.”