Lusaka Couple divorces over Whatsapp nude photo

THE Matero local court heard how a 28-year-old Emmasdale wife found a picture of a naked woman in her husband’s phone sent through WhatsApp.
Chiwanza Nambela also found a WhatsApp message sent by her husband asking his girlfriend to send a picture of her private parts so that he could sleep well.
Nambela sued Mulubwa Chanda, 40, a Chinese interpreter, for divorce.
Nambela told the court that Chanda was charged three herds of cattle before she got married to him in 2011 and they have two children together.
The couple stayed in harmony only for three months until Chanda started drinking beer excessively from Monday to Sunday, as well as insulting and beating his wife.
“I recently took him to Victim Support Unit. He even accused me of being a prostitute without even caring that I have a one-month-old baby,” Nambela said.

Nambela said her husband’s strange behaviour prompted her to check in his phone and was perplexed to find a picture of his girlfriend’s private parts besides several women as his WhatsApp contacts.
“At one time I shouted at one of his girlfriends. I broke his (Chanda) phone although he apologised. He comes home at 01:00 hours drunk and wakes us up with the children, he even threatened to vomit on a one-month-old baby but after I removed the baby, he vomited on the floor,” she said.
But Chanda disputed his wife’s statement, saying he would not want to be divorced as he tolerated her even when she bit his fingers during the previous fight that had ensued.
“I go home late to avoid talking too much; I make sure I reach home when she is already asleep. Actually I recently lost US$400 and on the part of showing her my salary, I cannot because I am just a business executive,” Chanda said.

Asked by the court if he had girlfriends, Chanda said he did not have but Nambela intervened by disputing his answer, saying she was aware that he had several girlfriends in Emmasdale where he was renowned as “big buyer” in bars.
In passing judgment, senior Magistrate Lewis Mumba sitting with Pauline Newa granted the couple divorce.
“The court has found a number of problems such as lack of communication, commitment and violence. Therefore, divorce is granted,” Mr Mumba said.
The court ordered Chanda to compensate Nambela with K8,000, the initial payment being K1,000 followed by monthly instalments of K500 and to be paying the children maintenance fee of K600 per month, while property acquired together should be shared equally.

Times of Zambia