WhatsApp Status Expose Bigamist

By Martin Muleya

A Mutare man has been arrested on bigamy charges after he posted a civil marriage certificate on his WhatsApp status exposing the crime to his first wife making a report at Mutare Civil Court.

Itai Katsaruware (46) of Plot 2 Mazonwe Lot 7 Burma Valley had Wednesday entered into a civil marriage at the court with Laiza Chisango (49) despite having another civil marriage with Catherine Chikanda.

The court cancelled the marriage and Katsaruware is expected to appear at Mutare Magistrate’s Court to answer to the bigamy charges.

Bigamy is entering into a marriage when there is a subsisting marriage.

According to the Act, even if one has two customary marriages he cannot enter a civil marriage (Chapter 5:11) with another woman before resolving one.
Katsaruware on Wednesday in his application for marriage licence, in terms of Section 17 of the Act, took an oath that he was a bachelor when he was fully aware that he had a subsisting customary marriage with Chikanda.

Failing to contain his excitement that filled him with his new love Laiza Chisango, Katsaruware displayed his marriage licence on his whatsapp status.
Chikanda who was in Sakubva and unaware of the marriage of the two got the shock of her life when she opened her husband’s status.

Choking with anger, she dashed to Mutare Civil Court and reported that she was also married to Katsaruware and the two had sired three children in their six years of marriage.

Chikanda also told the court that her husband paid lobola to her relatives in the sum of USD$800 and was still their son-in-law.

Katsaruware who was in the company of her newlywed love Chisango, had their marriage licence cancelled today and was whisked away to Mutare Central Police station on bigamy charges.