Prisoner sues warder over wife snatching

December 4, 2015 Anjoya Mwanza -Mana 32 Comments

Chancy Gondwe, an inmate at Nkhotakota Prison, has taken Cosmas Meja to court for allegedly taking advantage of his position as a prison warder to snatch his (Gondwe’s) wife, Esther.

Inmate Chancy Gondwe levelling his allegations
Inmate Chancy Gondwe levelling his allegations

Explaining the issue during this year’s Human Rights Day Commemoration on Tuesday, Gondwe expressed surprise that the Judiciary was not taking up his case.

He said he sent a letter to Nkhotakota first grade magistrate’s court some weeks ago and he was patiently waiting for feedback.

Gondwe said he has evidence that Meja has been communicating with his wife while he was serving his seven-year- jail term after being found guilty of theft by servant count.

The prisoner claimed Meja bought his wife a new phone, a lamp and has rented her a house in Nkhotakota. He also says Meja told his wife to abandon him, saying he was a criminal who could not assist her.

Nkhotakota First Grade Magistrate Juma Chilowetsa acknowledged receipt of the complaint through a letter which he said was brought to his office by a bicycle taxi operator and promised to take up the matter.-

While admitting that he was aware of the development, Nkhotakota Prison officer-in-charge McDonald Sitima, however, wondered how Gondwe managed to send his complaint to the judiciary through a letter without the knowledge of prison authorities.

Meja was welfare officer for the prisoners hence he was the right person to communicate with relations to the prisoners.

Sitima said the issue started when Esther arrived late in Nkhotakota to see Gondwe.

“She complained she had nowhere to sleep and our officer fetched a place from a neighbour where she spent her night. The following morning, she visited her husband and left for Mzuzu where she stays,” said Sitima.

He echoed that after investigations, prison officials realized that misunderstanding between Gondwe and Meja ascended because the prisoner lied to his wife that he was serving 16 months jail term while he was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment with hard labour.

“Our officer claims he told Esther about 7 years not to damage the reputation of the prisoner but that he was not aware Gondwe did not want his wife to know he would spend more years in jail,” said the OC while saying they had so far relieved Meja of his welfare duties.

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32 replies on “Prisoner sues warder over wife snatching”

  2. Isn’t there a provision that either party may seek divorce in the absence of cohabitation is it 7years? I think the courts should be given a further mandate to a case where the jail term exceeds the provision on cohabitation. Pepani.

  5. Sure ,,when a woman is not supported financially,,morally basi kuyalula mikeka basi aaaa kukaona komwa ungathe kukaona zina.This is a lesson which also goes to men who are outside prison.mubetsa mukamachita masewera.

  9. Mkaziyu 7yrs azimuthandiza ndani? Bambo tu mungoona kulira ndi nsanje nzanuyu mkazi wanuyu akunsamala nthawi yomweyi just one session amugulira kale phone, ya rent,ya food pompo mukuti mzimayi atani? Masewera mmapangawo kumaba osanganizira banja mwaonatu

  12. If that woman waites for 7 years then you would break the bed on the first night!.
    7 years in prison, you were masturbating or did u chinda the back side of other gays. Or did the other guys chinda u

  13. Akulu anati,akazi wokongola amampha!!Achimwene mwazidziwatu chakachino.nawenso kutenga mkazi wamwini? Malamulo agwire ntchito.

  15. not only did your wife accept the gifts, but you, as a thief yourself; have absolutely no right to complain. now you know how it feels to lose something that you worked hard for. zimatiwawa mukamatibela agalu inu.

    amwene a meja, idyani katundu mopanda chisoni. it’s justice for us honest people.

  16. If a husband stays away from a wife for so long, it is up to woman to look after herself ………otherwise …………………the end. 7 years……….oh!!!!

  20. Meja anadya katundu ndipo he can’t say the truth. Jail term damage was a strategy to frustrate her .

  22. Aaaa. Kopondereza ovutika uku? Why should he do that? And chilungamo mukuchisokoneza dala a officer in charge. U should also be relieved of ur duties.

  26. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
    7 years is such a long time, and a lot can happen:

    . . . one can attain both a first and Masters degrees and also start off his/her PhD in 7 years . . . Ask Dr Mtumbuka . . .
    . . . 3 kids can be born and 1-day pregnancy attained from a mother in 7 years, even with standard spacing . . . Ask David Beckham . . .
    . . . a gardener can aggrandize the corporate ladder and become the CEO in 7 yrs . . . Ask Timothy Mtambo . . .
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
    . . . Are you sure you will take the stress of updating yourself with whatever is happening with your wife outside for such a long time? To what extent can you do that, poor lad?
    . . . Take it from me: you have chosen a wrong battle n on a wrong battlefield. Thus, you cant win!
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
    . . . Why wont you just close your eyes n ears n concentrate on your sentence? Otherwise, although there be no inherent peace in prisons, you wont find even artificial peace coz your wife shall need to eat – in all meanings; n you cant feed her – in all meanings.
    . . . Stress will kill you, poor boy!
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

  27. Aids yingathe chonchi??? Kaya asaver 7 yrs it was non of meja’s business kaduka nsanje uhule ndizimene zamuvuta warden yo

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