“My husband is a satanist”

A LUSAKA man has narrated in the Matero Local Court how he left his matrimonial home after his wife accused him of practicing Satanism after the death of their third child.
William Mwanza, 35, of Rhodes Park told Senior Court Magistrates Pauline Newa and Lewis Mumba that Lister Tembo, 31, of Zingalume township has been blaming him for the death of their two children.
Mwanza was narrating in a case in which Tembo sued him for divorce. The two got married in 2008 and had three children together. Two have since died. Bride price was paid.
He said when their second child died; Tembo started accusing me of killing my child. Mwanza said after the accusations intensified, he called for a family meeting where both families were present.
“She admitted having accused me of killing our children and apologised in their presence. Later, she started accusing me again and that was what prompted me to move out of our matrimonial home. In fact, I wanted to take her back to her parents’ home but she refused,” he said.
He said he did not want to be married to Tembo anymore in case another child dies as he fears she will blame him.
“I want to be alone and enjoy my life the way I am living it,” he said.
But in her statement, Tembo told the court that two weeks after the death of their child, Mwanza left the funeral house only to return months later.

“He only came back for a few days then left again after packing a few of his clothes. Before leaving, my relatives asked him why he had left me, he replied that he no longer wanted to be with me.So, I have brought him to court so that he may officially deny me and the marriage can be dissolved,” she said.
Passing judgement, the court granted divorce with no compensation. Mwanza was however ordered to pay K500 monthly as child maintenance starting November month end. The couple was also ordered to share household property equally.

ZAMBIADAILYMAIL