A SHOCKING case has emerged from Lusaka-West, revealing a decades-long nightmare of domestic violence that culminated in a 76-year-old husband allegedly pursuing his wife and six daughters with an axe.
What should have been “golden years” of companionship for George Milimo and Mary Chileshe, 56, instead manifested into a terrifying Tom and Jerry-like pursuit, but with real-world, devastating consequences, a trail of trauma, shattered family bonds, and the tragic loss of life.
For 36 years, the Milimo household has been a constant battleground.
Chileshe recounted to Matero Local Court that her husband’s volatile behaviour often began with heated disputes with their children.
When she attempted to intervene, George’s fury would terrifyingly redirect towards her, escalating into pursuits with gardening tools and even an axe..
Chileshe, fed up with Milimo’s alleged violence, decided to file for divorce before senior Magistrate Lewis Mumba, declaring that she had endured enough of his violent behaviour.
She revealed to the court that her husband’s volatile behaviour often began with disputes with their children, escalating into altercations between him and her, ultimately leading to some of their children fleeing the family house in search of peace and tragically, the loss of their child who reported took her own life.
She also alleged that Milimo had been pocketing the funds from social cash transfer programme instead of sharing the money with her, leaving her without resources to care for herself and their children.
She lamented that Milimo had seemingly mastered the art of ‘wrestling’ in their marital disputes, as she recalled him beating her so violently that some of her teeth had been forcibly removed during their altercations.
Chileshe accused her husband of further misconduct in the form of squandering the lobola (dowry) meant for one of their children without sharing the funds with her.
“Your honour, though Milimo may appear innocent before you, he is a vampire of sorts. Even attending church services becomes a problem for him as he labels us ‘Satanists.’ We are forced to flee our home, running for our lives, as if we were mad people,” she stated.
“I no longer desire to be with this man, I raise my hands to you as a sign of my desperation. He has put me through so much pain, even going as far as impregnating my own cousin, simply because she had a fuller figure and seemed more attractive than me,” Chileshe tearfully told the court.
But Milimo stood his ground, radiating an air of pride and defiance as he boldly commanded the court to favour him, citing his male-dominated position as the head of the household.
Milimo, unapologetic and unrepentant, accused his wife of neglecting her domestic duties, depriving him of his needs as a husband, while their children purportedly disregarded his authority, wrecking other people’s marriages with their mother’s alleged backing.
Presiding over the case, magistrate Lewis Mumba expressed his disappointment in the unfortunate turn of events, highlighting the responsibility that grandparents like them should be role models within their families and communities.
Magistrate Mumba acknowledged that there are indeed a myriad of complaints and accusations from both parties but the most troubling aspect is the reports of Miliomo’s alleged physical abuse, as violence in a marriage is utterly unacceptable and cannot be tolerated under any circumstance.
He then granted them divorce.
“I hereby declare this marriage dissolved, the household goods shall be divided equally between the two parties, and the children shall remain with their mother while their father, Miliomo, is ordered to provide a monthly maintenance of K1000. There will only be spouse maintenance of K500 for twelve months and no compensation,” he ruled.
But Miliomo, seemingly unmoved by magistrate Mumba’s decree, displayed his hate for the ruling with a series of hateful gestures, shaking his head and mumbling his discontent under his breath.
“Awe teti, you cannot be serious!,” Miliomo whispered, visibly displeased with the court’s decision.
Miliomo’s protests however, went unheard as the proceedings came to an end, leaving Chileshe to begin a new chapter of her life apart from the man she once called her ‘husband.’
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba July 31, 2025
