A Harare resident’s attempt to secure a protection order against his wife was dismissed after the court determined that the case involved a property dispute that required resolution in a different legal setting.
Presiding magistrate Ms. Meenal Narotam ruled that there was no legal basis for issuing a protection order, as the central conflict revolved around ownership and access to two properties, a matter that falls outside the jurisdiction of protection orders.
Hillary Madzvimbo alleged that his wife, Caroline Madzvimbo, forcibly took control of their two houses and denied him access.
However, Caroline countered these claims, arguing that the properties had been acquired before he left his employment at Econet. She stated that she needed rental income from the houses to support their children since her husband was now unemployed.
She further claimed that after leaving his job, Hillary spent his severance package while living with a girlfriend, contributing only US$4,000 to her business, which now sustains their family.
Hillary, on the other hand, maintained that he had built the houses in Eastview, Harare, using his severance package of US$30,000. He expressed frustration over his lack of access to the properties, claiming his wife had placed tenants in both and was misusing the rental income.
Additionally, he alleged that after a car accident on March 29 last year, Caroline took possession of his important documents, including his driver’s license, and began controlling the properties. He described their interactions as hostile, stating that his wife responded with insults and threats whenever he inquired about his documents or the houses.
Caroline, however, refuted these accusations, insisting that she was the true victim. She maintained that their financial stability came from her business, which she had built over time, and that her husband was falsely portraying her actions to serve his own interests.
With the magistrate ruling that the matter was not appropriate for a protection order, the dispute will need to be addressed in the relevant legal forum.
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