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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A man from Gutu in Masvingo has left his in-laws tongue tied when they discovered that he had concealed his wife’s death for about 20 years.
Vengai Manzanga, whose age was not given but of Manzanga Village under Chief Makore confessed about the death of his wife, Ruvete Hazizi to his in-laws when he appeared before Headman Manzanga at a village court on Wednesday.
He was found guilty by Headman Manzanga and ordered to posthumously pay lobola for his late wife.

The court was called by Headman Manzanga when the man’s in-laws approached him in connection with the whereabouts of Hazizi.
The village court was told that Manzanga started living with Hazizi in the late 80s.
She allegedly fell ill and died without her relative’s knowledge.

Manzanga took his wife to Masvingo General Hospital but her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. Manzanga did not even notify his in-laws about his wife’s illness.

The court was told that Manzanga did not follow his wife to Bulawayo but moved to Harare where he got a job as a security guard.
He lived in Harare for many  years without bothering to find out about his wife’s condition until she later died.
The woman died and was buried without the knowledge of her husband and parents.

The identity of people who organised her funeral remains a mystery.
The court was told that Manzanga would occasionally visit home and tell people who asked about the whereabouts of his wife that she was working in Bulawayo.

His in-laws became suspicious and tried to look for the daughter in Bulawayo and other areas but they failed to locate her.
When Manzanga’s in-laws visited Mpilo Central Hospital they were told that their daughter died 20 years ago.

They then reported the matter to the village court resulting in their son-in-law being brought before the village head.
When Manzanga met his late wife’s relatives sometime last year, he allegedly could not explain where Hazizi had gone after an unidentified relative asked about her whereabouts.

The couple was living in the same village with the in-laws.
When Manzanga was brought before the court, he shocked people who had gathered in the courtyard when he unashamedly revealed that Hazizi had died 20 years ago.

He said when his wife died they had long separated and that angered his in-laws.