Night at lodge turns into nightmare

A Rusape man who last year lured his Harare-based girlfriend and spent a blissful night with her without her parents’ knowledge was made to pay dearly by a community court.

Emmanuel Muchemwa, a married man, was dragged to Chief Makoni’s community court by Fungai Madziwa, the father of his 18-year-old girlfriend, Elizabeth Madziwa, as he demanded damages from him.

Madziwa told the court that the married Muchemwa slept with his teenage daughter and should give him two cows and three goats.

“Muchemwa drove to Harare where I stay. He took my daughter, Elizabeth, and brought her to Rusape. They spent the night together at a lodge.

“We looked for Elizabeth all over with the assistance of the police. Her sibling had to track her cellphone and we discovered that she was here in Rusape.

“We made a follow-up and found her in the company of Muchemwa and his friend. I am bitter because he took my daughter and went away with her without my permission.

“He slept with my daughter without marrying her. He should pay me some damages,” Madziwa told the court.

Muchemwa did not deny sleeping with Elizabeth, but pleaded with the court for a lenient fine.

“It is true, but I am not financially stable and cannot pay the damages,” he said.

The court, however, ruled that Muchemwa was not taking the matter seriously by declaring poverty when he used some resources to drive to and from Harare and booked a lodge in Rusape.

“You are taking this matter lightly. You lured Elizabeth without the knowledge of her parents and went away with her. You went on to sleep with her without paying anything as bride price to her parents.

“This court will not entertain your claim that you have no money to pay up for your misdeeds. You cannot sleep with other people’s children and plead poverty.

“A broke man cannot drive to Harare and also book lodges. You are ordered to pay Madziwa two cattle and three goats as damages You will also pay US$45 as the cost of the lawsuit.

“We will give you one and half months to pay up. If you intend to marry Elizabeth, those damages will be subtracted from your bride price list,” ruled Chief Makoni.

Elizabeth did not attend the court session.