A distressed woman of Marapodi compound in Lusaka, Zambia, collapsed at the Matero Local Court after her polygamous husband refused to go on with their marriage, saying his faith does not allow him to have two wives.

According to Zambia Observer, it took several female passers-by to resuscitate Jane Zulu, 33, who fainted after walking a few steps out of the court room presided over by a magistrate, Gaston Kalala.

Jane dragged Gilbert Zulu, 42, to court hoping to get him to be serious about their four-year old hide and seek marriage.

Her list of demands to the court included that Gilbert must draw a fair bedroom roster to service both her and his first wife and publicly declare before his relatives, the court and his first wife that she too was a legitimate wife.

She complained to the court that despite paying her dowry in December 2018 and upgrading her from side chick to wife, Gilbert spent only one day of the week in her bed while spending the rest of the days with his first wife.

Jane explained that despite calling several family meetings for Gilbert to open up and inform everyone that she was his wife, he remained tight-lipped and non-committal.

“He secretly comes to my house on Wednesdays to spend the night and whenever my co-wife calls his mobile phone, he tells her, “I’m coming” and switches off his phone,” Jane said.

But Gilbert said there was no way he, as a committed member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church could introduce Jane to his family as a wife or mistress, especially that she has been disrespectful to his wife.

“I told her I would inform my wife that she is the other woman, but she refused that I straighten out things with my first wife before bringing her home,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert complained that Jane had caused several problems between him and his first wife, but Jane responded that she had apologised to her co-wife and that the two had reconciled.

Giving judgment on the case, the magistrate, Kalala observed that Gilbert was not serious with their marriage, but was merely playing sexual games with Jane.

Kalala refused to reconcile the two, saying their marriage would not work and advised that either of them should file for divorce.

But Jane rejected the court judgment insisting that she would remain Gilbert’s wife, especially that he had infected her with HIV.

In response, Kalala said, “It doesn’t matter whether you are sick or not. Nowadays people re-marry despite being sick. But if you want to be called a home wrecker or a mistress, that is your business.” (Saturday Tribune)

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