Costain Shamu
A Chiredzi woman, Elizabeth Unde (60), won a legal battle pitting herself and her husband’s concubine, but the legal battle left the Registrar’s office exposed.
According to the legal papers in possession of this publication, the office frustrated Unde’s efforts to register her late husband’s estate as the surviving spouse, allegedly preferring the second wife.
Unde tied the knot with her husband Anderson Unde in 1990.
The husband died on 14 October 2019, and since then, she was struggling to get the Death Certificate for her late husband.
On 4 July this year, the woman had to seek legal advice from top lawyer, Prince Ganyani, who assisted her to summon the Registrar’s office to court.
The national, provincial and district offices were cited in the lawsuit.
In the Court papers, Unde stated that she was deliberately denied her right to get the Death Certificate, with the office insisting that she must bring along her husband’s girlfriend.
She also stated that everytime she went to collect the document, officials in the office would first make marathon telephone calls, enquiring on the matter.
After realising that the office was being dragged to court, the matter was resolved out of court. Unde was issued with the documents.
She suspects underhand deals between the office and her husband’s girlfriend.
