All he does is drink beer until his salary is finished

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
LUSAKA’s Chelstone Local Court has advised a 43-year-old man of Mtendere township not to intimidate his wife.
This is after the court granted divorce to Collins Phiri, 43 of Lusaka’s Mtendere Township on grounds that he was greedy and violent towards his wife.
Phiri’s wife Gertrude Shitima also 43, a maid of the same residential address sued for divorce, saying their marriage has broken down beyond recovery.
Shitima told the court that she got married to Phiri in 2004 and they have two children, aged 11 and six.
She told the court that since 2004, Phiri has not bought anything or supported her or the children.

“Whenever he gets paid, he does not buy anything at home. Not even anything for me or the children. All he does is drink beer until his salary is finished. I persevered thinking he will change in the 14 years we have been together but to no avail,” Shitima said.
Shitima said when problems got worse last year; she decided to leave home for her own safety.
“Just last week, he [Phiri] came in this violent manner and took the children away from me. I have been with the children for the past one year we have been on separation,” Shitima said.
And in his defense, Phiri told the court that he had changed and had stopped drinking beer and was also working on being responsible.
Phiri maintained that he still loved Shitima and would not want to divorce because of the two boys that they have to raise together.

“I got the children last week when they told me that there is a man who frequents my wife’s house. I did this because I feared that they may be spoiled so I decided to get them,” Phiri told the court.
Presiding over the case, senior presiding magistrate Hope Mwila told Phiri that he was irresponsible and needed to change his way of life considering his age.
Senior Presiding magistrate Mwila said the court granted divorce because of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
“You don’t use your savage character to bring back a woman. She is human too and needs to be respected. How do you expect her to listen to your plea if you go there insulting and threatening to beat her,” the court said.
Furthermore, the court gave custody of the children to Phiri saying, Phiri should learn to be responsible.
No compensation was awarded.

Zambia Daily Mail