JUSTICE, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi's estranged wife, Florence, has accused the Cabinet minister of engaging in an extra-marital relationship with an official from the Sheriff's office, whom he has allegedly been using to falsify information on return of services in the couple's on-going divorce matter.
Florence made the remarks in her opposing founding
affidavit after Ziyambi approached the High Court seeking leave to serve her
with divorce summons through publication in local newspapers.
In his application which was entertained and granted by
High Court judge Justice Jacob Manzunzu on November 2, 2020, the minister said
he caused for summons to be issued on August 28, 2020 after his marriage with
Florence had irretrievably broken down.
He further claimed in an attempt to serve the divorce
summons to Florence, the Sheriff's office attempted on six different occasions
at both her given residential address and workplace, but their efforts were
fruitless.
"Efforts to locate her (Florence) have been in vain. I
have even made inquiries with the police officers who are manning her residence
and her co-workers have not been forthcoming with the information regarding
respondent's (Florence) current whereabouts," Ziyambi said.
"Respondent is aware that she has to be personally
served with the divorce summons and would do anything to frustrate such
personal service, that is why the police officers and her co-workers are not
forthcoming on her current whereabouts and this has prompted me to file this
present application."
However, in her response to the claims, Florence dismissed
Ziyambi's assertions saying the minister was simply playing to the gallery and
making fun of the divorce proceedings, more so by using his girlfriend
identified only as Gamuchirai.
"This is a lie
being perpetrated by the applicant (Ziyambi) to please his mistress as he is
fond of embarrassing me and scoring bad publicity for me," she said.
"I have been staying with the applicant throughout our
marriage with him and he knows that as a fact. I will prove that fact at an
appropriate stage before this honourable court.
"The applicant is also making fun of these divorce
proceedings by lying to the court that I am nowhere to be found when he sits in
the Cabinet Committee on Legislation which he chairs almost on a weekly or
fortnightly basis. I sit in the same Cabinet Committee where I have always
attended."
She added: "... I understand the applicant, who is in
some relationship with a senior officer in the Sheriff 's office, is cooking up
these false returns of service with that person's assistance. In the fullness
of time, I will not shy away from identifying her in full, but she is called
Gamuchirai."
Florence further said she currently does not have a
personal assistant as the one she used to have was promoted and the Office of
the President and Cabinet was in the process of recruiting one for her.
She said the purported return of service by the Sheriff's
office was laden with lies.
"However, I deny that I was elusive or evasive to
anyone since I am not being served with any harmful court process but divorce
summons which the Sheriff maliciously published before I am even served,"
Florence said. Newsday
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