Where did this photo come from? Getty Images
A Ugandan woman who broke up with her ex-fiancé is seeking financial damages for psychological distress following a court order.
The court for Kanungu says Oga Richard Tumwine paid 9.4m shillings ($2,550; £2,060) for her – Glyche Kyarikunda – law studies, and she must pay back the money plus legal fees.
Court record shows say Richard Tumwine and Fortunate Kyarikunda, wey both become teachers start a love relationship for 2015 and the Tok say the two of them a promise to marry for 2018.
The court heard also say that Tumwine, we are a teacher for Kiringa Primary School, Kyarikunda financially support – including sponsoring her for a diploma in law for the Law Development Center (LDC) where I spend more than Shs9.4 million.
By canceling his engagement after four years, Magistrate Asanasio Mukobi ruled that Ms Kyarikunda was breaking a promise to harm Oga Tumwine.
‘Plenty Money Transfer’
“I note, from the exhibit, several mobile money transfer transactions from the plaintiff’s mobile phone in the name of Richard Tumwine to the defendant’s mobile phone in the name of Fortunate Kyarikunda,” the magistrate observed in.
The Magistrate also adds: “From the exhibit, the money shows as part of the budget for introduction to Fortunate Kyarikunda’s parental home and various items worth Shs5million Dey on the list and the defendant’s comments appreciate the budget and the request for more. financial support to enable her on Rubanda also good to show the messages.
On hearing the case, Oga Tumwine told the court that dem bin wan do the induction ceremony for February 2022 but there is no justifiable reason.
Di court heard say Kyarikunda bin come joke excuse say her parents bin Don tok say Dia daughter no go marry older man wey give Tumwine.
The court says it is “unreasonable, a misrepresentation and a fraud” for the defendant to argue that her parents say that she will not marry an older man, she said, “getting all the opportunity to love interest of the plaintiff at the earliest reject point possible and avoid interference with financial obligations”.
Oga Mukobi also ordered Kyarikunda to pay Shs1million to Tumwine as general damages for inconvenience and psychological anguis wey im don leiden.
We do not know if Ms Kyarikunda will appeal against the verdict.
Critics tell the Monitor newspaper that the ruling is not a prosecution because an engagement, unlike a marriage, is not legally binding.
How Pipo reacts
Sheila Kawamara, from the women’s advocacy group ED EASSI, warns that sometimes after exploitative circumstances, a man will give money to a woman on the condition that she will marry in.
A former Ugandan ethics minister and prominent women’s rights activist Miria Matembe also slammed a “one-sided” ruling.
She said it was a “classic case of how the justice system was tilted to favor men.”
One lawyer, Fred Muwema, wey follow Tori Pipo for monitor tok say for common law, violation of law and offense wey dey action ability.
“The serious emotional distress and fear that come from love that are real; e dey happun and e get negative social impact.
Many Pipo lose faith in the institution of marriage because of the distance and if you pay the man your school fees without the intention of marrying, that is one way.
