By CHRISTINE CHISHA
AN ENRAGED woman stripped and beat up her ex-husband’s new wife after she caught her pointing a finger at her while she was selling at Chongwe market.
Royce Sakala, 27, took revenge on her unsuspecting rival when she confirmed that she was being talked about. A crowd of onlookers cheered as the women confronted each other at the market.
This came to light in the Chongwe Local Court, when Jennifer Phiri, 26, sued Sakala for defamation of character for calling her a prostitute.
Jennifer told the court that on her way to the hospital to see her sick sister-in-law, she stopped at the market with a friend where she admired pots when to her surprise, she saw Sakala walking to her questioning why she was busy pointing a finger at her.
“I was shocked when Sakala started shouting at me saying I should vacate my matrimonial home because I was a prostitute and a husband-snatcher. She also pulled my hair and slapped me.
“I did not understand what she was talking about because when I got married to my husband, he was single and I was not even aware what led to their divorce,” she told the court.
Jennifer said she was demanding for compensation for being called a prostitute.
But Sakala denied the allegation saying she never called Jennifer a prostitute but instead the ex-husband James Phiri, 30, called Sakala a prostitute.
She told the court that while she was busy selling, she saw Jennifer pointing a finger at her that was when she followed her.
“I was upset because my ex-husband does not support the two children. I do not bother him and I found it very unfair for his new wife to be pointing a finger at me. I did not beat her though we fought but to my surprise my ex-husband came and started calling me a prostitute.
“I was so upset that I almost stoned the taxi where my ex-husband jumped in but was stopped by friends and onlookers,” she said.
Sakala said it was also shocking that Jennifer called James to be a witness when he was not around when the fight started.
Giving his testimony, James said he was around and heard his ex-wife call his new wife a prostitute. “She did not see me because I was in the crowd, my new wife was also not aware that I was within the crowd.”
He said he also heard his ex-wife vow that she will never stop beating his new wife until she leaves him.
But when Jennifer was cross-examined, she said she never saw her husband because of the crowd.
Passing judgment Senior Court Magistrate Petrand Mwansa sitting with Senior Presiding Magistrate Lazarus Mwansa dismissed the matter due to lack of evidence and contradiction between the witness and the plaintiff.
The magistrate cautioned the witness and the plaintiff not to tell lies in the court of law.