A sensational story of an aspiring bigamist living a double life has emerged, with her secret fiancé finally blowing the whistle on her elaborate deception.
Livingstone Chieza, the man caught in the middle of this unusual love triangle, reportedly seized an opportunity to send text messages from his lover Lucia Eriya’s phone to her unsuspecting husband, Pingurai Kumbukani, at odd hours, casting suspicion over their seemingly serene marriage.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Kumbukani worked and resided in Harare, while Eriya was living with the couple’s children in Biriiri, Chimanimani.
In the wake of the shocking revelation, Kumbukani promptly relocated his family to Harare, marking a decisive move to salvage his marriage.
The case recently came before Acting Chief Saurombe’s court, where Kumbukani vehemently objected to Eriya’s ongoing affair with Chieza and her plans for a second marriage. He adamantly expressed his enduring love for his wife and demanded compensation from Chieza.
Kumbukani revealed that he uncovered the affair between Eriya and Chieza, which had been ongoing for four years, while they were deep into preparations for their customary marriage.
“In 2019, my wife took a job with a company involved in building homes for Cyclone Idai victims in Chimanimani. I supported her in her quest for independence. Little did I know that, unbeknownst to me, she was being courted by another man, Chieza, whom she met while working there. Chieza was also employed by the same company.
“In 2022, she approached me, saying she had found a builder to construct our house. I was completely unaware that this ‘builder’ was her secret lover. I allowed him to work on our house, unaware that he was also living there and carrying on an affair with my wife. Later, I discovered that my wife had met Chieza’s parents, who were under the impression that she was their future daughter-in-law. They were actively preparing for their son’s marriage to her,” Kumbukani revealed.
Kumbukani’s discovery of the affair occurred when Chieza unexpectedly reached out to him at 4 a.m. using Eriya’s phone. Confronted by her husband, Eriya confessed to her infidelity, seeking forgiveness for her actions.
Acting Chief Saurombe disclosed that Chieza did not attend the court hearing, but his parents were present and expressed their shock and devastation upon learning of Eriya’s true marital status. They had embraced her as their son’s fiancée, believing the situation was a mere joke until Kumbukani revealed the existence of their shared children.
In a judgment, the chief ordered Eriya to compensate her husband with one bull.
Eriya, in an interview, denied any marriage plans with Chieza and insisted they were just friends. “I visited Chieza’s family as a friend, not as his bride-to-be. I also met his parents and was introduced to them. We were acting like a married couple since 2019 when we were working together. I apologize to my husband for that,” she stated.
However, Eriya claimed that Chieza continues to contact her with intentions to marry her despite her clear intentions to end the relationship. “I do not know why he continues phoning me after I told him on countless occasions that it is over between us. My husband bought me a new cellphone line, but Chieza now has the new number and phones me. He claims that he loves me so much and that he can never let me go. He wants to marry me. With the way Kumbukani is treating me lately, I am now confused,” she admitted.
Eriya also cited emotional and physical abuse from Kumbukani as a factor that led her to cheat. “He should have just divorced me because I have become his punching bag ever since he found out. At times I harbor thoughts of leaving him and marrying Chieza or going back to my parents’ home,” she revealed, citing dissatisfaction in her marital relationship as the root cause of her infidelity.
