Salayi Banda told how at one time she was beaten, stripped naked and dragged her out of the house for the public to see her nudity.

Salayi Banda said told the Lusaka Boma Local Court that although her husband, Collins Mpimba, was cruel towards her, she still wanted their marriage to continue.

She said that her nine-year marriage to Mpimba had been agonising for her especially that his relatives also encouraged him to divorce her so that he could marry a woman from his home area.

Banda, who sued Mpimba for reconciliation, said their marriage worsened when a radio and a television set were broken in the house while he was beating her.

She said that whilst being beaten she fell on the two appliances and this enraged Mpimba even more.

She said he had her arrested and locked up in police cells for two days.

"It was not that I intended to break the TV and radio but when he was beating me one day, I was pushed and I fell on the TV and radio which broke," she said.

Banda said that after the incident, Mpimba's relations went to their home and forced her to leave, telling her that he would marry a woman from their home region.

Banda said that despite all this anguish, she wanted to continue in marriage with him so that they could raise their two children.

But Mpimba said he didnot want Banda because whenever they quarrelled, she threatened to kill herself.

He said that disputes in their marriage began shortly after completion of construction of a 12-roomed house.

Mpimba said his wife started accusing him of going out with other women and not supporting the family.

"We have tried sitting as families to find a lasting solution but all in vain. All she does now is break property and threaten to commit suicide. I cannot live with such a person," he said.

Senior Presiding Justice Saineti Chitambo, sitting with two senior court justices, Henry Mwananshiku and Regina Mwamba, dissolved the marriage.

The justice said it was very difficult for the court to reconcile them when both families had tried to bring them together, even after an order by the court failed.

The verdict left Banda in tears, even as the court ordered that Mpimba pays her K1.5 million in monthly instalments of K100,000 as compensation.