A LUSAKA marriage that once blossomed like Zambia’s current bumper harvest has been buried six feet under after a 28 year old man who had travelled outside Lusaka for work was welcomed to an empty home which resembled a shrine of a “Dr Bring Back Lost Lovers”.
Wisdom Banda, a truck driver by profession, returned to his Lusaka home after a two-week stint in Mazabuka, only to uncover charms meticulously tied to his most personal belongings.
It is believed that Banda had been transferred between locations frequently last year and when he was sent to work in Mazabuka, he made the practical decision to let his wife, 28-year-old Precious Lungu, stay behind in Lusaka with their child.
Banda thought that this would conserve resources and avoid the hassle of frequent relocations, so he would visit his wife and child whenever he had free time and was off work.
However, due to a misunderstanding from his workplace, he was suspended from his job as a truck driver last month for a week and got arrested.
But after his release, he decided to visit his wife and child, but when he returned to his home in Lusaka, he found that his wife had locked the doors and went to stay with her mother.
After retrieving the keys, a horrifying sight awaited him. Charms, small and ominous, were tied to nearly every item in his home, including his photographs and crucial work documents.
He testified in the Matero Local Court that his life had recently turned upside down and strongly believed his wife was using charms against him.
In her defense, Lungu rejected the accusation saying she had no intention of harming him but loved him despite their marital difficulties.
She claimed that Banda had stopped communicating with her after he started working in Mazabuka last year, and had also neglected his parental responsibilities by failing to support his child financially.
Lungu recounted an incident that further fueled her frustration with Banda, revealing that she had once traveled to Mazabuka to surprise him at work but when she called him from the station for a ride, he allegedly turned her down and advised her to go back home.
“This man has no bond with his child, how can he claim that I am trying to harm him when he hasn’t been involved in our lives?,” she questioned.
Presiding over the emotionally charged case, Magistrate Harriet Mulenga recognised that both Banda and Lungu had played a role in the dissolution of their marriage.
She cited Banda’s alleged lack of empathy towards his wife and child contributing to the breakdown and leading to the woman using black magic.
“Marriage is a sacred union that should be guided by God, not by charms and other forms of witchcraft therefore, when you rely on these things, they will backfire and destroy everything you have. Trust in God and be patient because he will answer your prayers in his own time. Don’t try to take matters into your own hands,” she advised.
“Endurance is key in a marriage but many young people these days are like computers, they lack patience and faith. People rush into marriage but as soon as things get difficult, they want out.”
Magistrate Mulenga put the final nail to the coffin of their marriage, acknowledging that the couple was young and energetic to start all over
However, no financial compensation was granted to either parties.
“Banda will be responsible for maintaining your child with K1000 per month subject to review. All household goods will be divided equally between the both of you,” ruled Magistrate Mulenga.
Story and pictures by Sharon Zulu
Kalemba May 29, 2025
