A SAKUBVA woman is embroiled in a vicious battle with her stepson over her late husband’s estate, resulting in her locking him out of their family house. Mutare magistrate, Mr Lazarus Murendo, ordered the duo to register the estate with the Master of the High Court. Judith Manyevo and her stepson Ngoni Maorere appeared before Mr Murendo last week, with the latter applying for a protection order against his stepmother.
In his application, Maorere described Manyevo as an evil stepmother who faked loving him when his father was still alive. “She stays in Odzi and only visits to harass me. Whenever she visits, she chucks me out and I spend the nights in the open. She says we cannot sleep under the same roof.
“She comes to Mutare once a month to torment me. She then stays for a week or two before going back to Odzi. For those weeks I sleep in the open,” he said.
Maorere also said Manyevo assaults, insults and harasses him. “She provokes me but I cannot do anything because she is a mother figure to me. She was my late father’s wife and I will never disrespect her. That is why I am seeking this court’s intervention,” said Maorere.
But Manyevo insisted that the house belonged to her late husband, adding that Maorere must be evicted. She accused Maorere of kicking out her tenants to pave way for himself.
“I stay in Odzi and I have tenants at the Sakubva house. I only left one vacant room for me to occupy when I visit to collect the rentals and inspect the house. But while I was in Odzi, he sent some of my tenants packing and occupied the rooms,” said Manyevo.
She also accused Maorere of selling the family’s cattle during her absence.
“I was the spouse of the deceased, yet my husband’s son now claims to be the heir to his estate. I am the one who is supposed to be applying for the protection order as my stepson has been giving me sleepless nights,” said Manyevo.
She claimed that whenever she visits the Sakubva house, Maorere denies her access to the property.
However, Mr Murendo granted the protection order in Maorere’s favour.
