By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
A LUSAKA pastor is in ‘hot soup’ after the High Court declined to render judgment in a matter in which he has dragged his wife to court for divorce but instead ordered that he be investigated and possibly be arrested for bigamy.
Pastor Graham Banda of Arise ministries had petitioned the Lusaka High Court to grant him divorce from his wife Patricia Halukala Banda of 10 years alleging among others that the marital problems have had a strain on his pastoral work.
But his wife Patricia revealed during the proceedings of the divorce petition that she was ready for the divorce as her husband had married another woman.
Patricia told the court that Pastor Banda got married to another woman on March 12, 2016 and has not been supporting his children who are living with her at her brother’s place.
Pastor Banda told the court in his petition for dissolution of marriage that he got married to his wife Patricia on August 9, 2003 and had lived as husband and wife at various places the last being Kaunda Square stage II.
He said that he has three children with his wife who is a teacher by profession.
The pastor alleges that there were so many attempts by him to reconcile with his wife but she has refused to reconcile.
He said that after the extra marital affair he had, the wife became defensive and jealous of any female church member that attempted to talk to him which caused him a lot of strain on his work as a pastor.
Pastor Banda said that the marriage had become stressful such that Patricia decided to move out of the matrimonial home clocking over two years now.
He said that Patricia has refused to forgive him over his extra marital affair and now wanted the court to dissolve their marriage.
But in her ruling judge Mwamba Chanda said evidence before her reveals that Pastor Banda had committed an offence of bigamy.
Ms Justice Chanda said that in light of the development, she would not proceed to render judgment for divorce but instead she would forward the matter to the law enforcement agency for investigation of the offence of bigamy and possible prosecution.
Ms Justice Chanda said that she would only render judgment after the investigations or prosecution of the matter had been concluded.