29/01/2025
LUSAKA MAN LEARNS THE HARD WAY THAT GREETINGS ARE NOT FLIRTING—FROM BEHIND BARS
A man’s irrational jealousy lands him a nine-month vacation in prison after mistaking a simple greeting for an elaborate romance conspiracy.
Lusaka, Zambia, January 29 – A 32-year-old man, who apparently believes that responding to greetings is a gateway to infidelity, has found himself on an all-expenses-paid nine-month stay behind bars after attacking his wife for simply exchanging pleasantries with another man.
Bright Manyepa, who is clearly allergic to common courtesy, flew into a jealous rage on November 11, 2024, after his wife, Precious, did the unthinkable—she responded to a stranger’s “hello.” The incident, which began as a casual morning walk to their business, quickly turned into a drama fit for a soap opera when Manyepa decided that greetings were now the highest form of betrayal.
According to court facts, after a random man greeted Precious and she had the audacity to acknowledge him with a response, Manyepa demanded to know who the "mysterious lover" was. When his wife denied knowing the man, Manyepa saw this as further proof of her treachery and promptly transformed himself into a one-man interrogation squad, complete with a hoe handle as his lie detector.
Unfortunately for him, the legal system does not operate on "jealousy logic," and his display of unbridled insecurity resulted in his wife reporting him to the police. A medical report later confirmed that instead of proof of an affair, the only thing Precious gained from the encounter was an injured arm, bruises, and general body pain—along with a very clear reason to reconsider her life choices.
When he appeared in court, Manyepa pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to section 248 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Attempting to paint himself as a remorseful husband, he begged for mercy, citing his responsibilities as a breadwinner and claiming he didn't realize that