A 55-Year-old Woman of Lusaka’s Marapodi Compound has lamented how her 50-year-old boyfriend used her house to settle a debt.

In this case, Alice Zulu sued her boyfriend, John Tembo for divorce before the Matero Local Court.

However, Magistrate Harriet Mulenga dismissed the claim because the two were merely cohabiting for 14 years.

But Zulu begged the court to sympathize with her because she had spent a lot of money on her boyfriend and gave him her only house to use as collateral.

She told the court that Tembo used her house as collateral but when he failed to pay back the debt, the house was forfeited.

However, Magistrate Mulenga admonished her for risking her children’s future to please her lover.

Magistrate Mulenga said the house was handed over to Tembo out of love hence her claim could not stand before court.

The Court warned women to be careful of men termed as ‘Ba Mario’ who have a tendency of taking advantage of women for their personal gain.

By Rhodah Mvula