General Sibanda’s son demands lobola money refund from ex-wife

One of Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander Phillip Valerio’s sons is allegedly demanding a refund of his lobola money after leaving his wife.

Sources close to the Sibanda and Masango families said Jacob was customarily married to Rumbidzai Masango in 2020 after paying over US$7 000 in lobola money.

The couple lived in South Africa, but the marriage broke down in December the same year.

“They tried to work things out, but all efforts were in vain.

“Jacob came back to Zimbabwe as a repartee with the assistance of the Zimbabwe embassy,” a family member speaking on condition of anonymity said.

“What is now shocking is that he is demanding lobola so that he can also bring gupuro (a token for divorce).

“But the question we are asking as a family is ‘why should we pay back the lobola when it’s him who divorced our daughter?’.

Another source said the couple failed to reconcile because of “undue family interference.”

Another family member added that, “what is shocking for us is in our culture we have never heard of roora refund.

“We are also aware that Jacob was married before to Chiyedza Shonhiwa and didn’t demand roora back when that marriage also failed. He allegedly paid gupuro with no reservations.

“Moreover, one also wonders why roora is being demanded yet Jacob called things off with our daughter?”

The family members said Jacob had promised to pay back the money his wife used for his upkeep while living in South Africa, but was yet to do so.

Jacob is said to have ended the marriage through a WhatsApp message.

Masango refused to comment on the matter, saying it was private.

On the other hand, Jacob ignored questions from this publication sent to him through the WhatsApp platform.

Subsequent attempts to reach him were futile as the telephone number that was used to send him questions appeared to have been blocked soon after the initial WhatsApp communication.

the standard