Wife seeks divorce from abusive, adulterous husband

A 25-year old Ha Leqele, Maseru woman has filed for divorce from her 34-year old husband, citing physical abuse and infidelity.

‘Mapoloko Lali told the Matala Local Court on Tuesday this week that she wants to sever ties with her husband, Rethabile. The two married in 2018 under customary law. She presented written proof of marriage in court, as Exhibit A.

‘Mapoloko testified that when Rethabile married her she already had a child of her own, and was happy with this. They initially lived happily, with him caring for both of them.

However, their relationship soured in 2018 when the child fell ill. ‘Mapoloko stated that in 2019, Rethabile promised to cover all medical expenses.

They later sought help from a prophet who advised that the child be returned to his biological father’s home. Following this, fights between the couple escalated.

‘Mapoloko claimed Rethabile prevented her from seeing her sick son, and also forbade her from burying the child when he later passed on.

An emotional ‘Mapoloko further testified that Rethabile would not allow her to work, claiming she would “become a slut” if she did, and that they would rather break up.

She alleged that her husband stopped providing food and clothes. He also began sleeping out, sometimes for up to two weeks to a month at a time, and would block her number during his absences, ‘Mapoloko said.

She noted that her attempts to hold a family meeting were futile, as Rethabile refused to listen to his father and brother.

‘Mapoloko also accused Rethabile of openly having affairs with other women, some of whom would call and insult her, even calling her “barren”.

When confronted, Rethabile allegedly told her to leave if she wasn’t satisfied, refusing to quarrel with a “barren woman,” and demanding she repay the money he spent on her child’s medical fees before leaving.

‘Mapoloko recounted incidents of physical abuse, including instances where Rethabile would ask her to lie on her back and insert his fingers into her private parts to check for signs of infidelity.

She said was also prohibited from speaking to men, as Rethabile believed she was having affairs with them.

The duo shared household property and a car, ‘Mapoloko stated.

Present his side, Rethabile claimed he was not legally married to ‘Mapoloko.

He accused ‘Mapoloko of having countless relationships with multiple men, citing an instance where she allegedly dated a man who promised her a job.

“She would hide snacks he bought her in a closet,” he said.

He added that ‘Mapoloko was no longer a wife because she would take videos naked and post them on social media platform TikTok.

Rethabile also claimed to have known some of ‘Mapoloko’s alleged partners as her cousins, only to discover they were dating.

He admitted to abusing his wife after finding out about her relationship with a man named David. However, Rethabile denied knowledge of the marriage paper presented in court, suggesting it was created for ‘Mapoloko to obtain an identity card.

He also denied jointly owning any property with ‘Mapoloko.

‘Mapoloko presented the court with receipts for the property they bought together.

In her ruling, Court President Mathuntsi Ntsala deemed Rethabile’s testimony fabricated, leading to him being held in a cell for several hours before his release.

Ntsala said the court would investigate the couple’s property claims to verify the truth. It would also consult the village chief regarding the marriage paper, she noted.

Ntsala stressed that faking a marriage for personal gain is considered fraud, before postponing the case to July 24 ,2025.