MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ronald Simwinga has denied committing adultery with an investments officer at the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ), saying the allegations against him are frivolous and malicious.

In this matter, businessman Lombe Okpara has dragged his wife, Musamba Mulenga, to the Lusaka High Court for dissolution of their eight-year marriage for allegedly engaging in adultery with Simwinga and former Central Province deputy permanent secretary Patrick Mwanawasa.

He cited Simwinga and Mwanawasa as first and second co-respondents in the case.

According to his petition for the dissolution of marriage, Okpara claimed that his wife admitted committing adultery with both Simwinga and Mwanawasa.

He further claimed that on November 3, 2018, his wife and Mwanawasa spent time together at a short-term rented duplex apartment situated on Lukanga road in Roma township.

Okpara stated that his wife and Mwanawasa spent about five hours in the said apartment from 17:00 hours to 21:45 hours after which Mwanawasa allegedly complained of pain on his manhood following the alleged sexual encounter.

He also cited unreasonable behaviour, among other reasons, claiming that his wife arranged and hosted a party for Simwinga at her sister’s house and convinced him that it was a kind gesture to appreciate Simwinga for the favours that he did for her family.

Okpara claimed his wife asked him to be present at the party and entertain the guests, little did he know that the primary guest was actually his wife’s sexual partner.

But in his answer filed in the Lusaka High Court, July 22, 2020, Simwinga denied committing adultery with Mulenga, and that he shall put Okpara to strict proof over his allegations against him.

He also denied ever being invited for a party, adding that he would state at trial that he had only attended a luncheon at the home of Mulenga’s elder sister, with whom they are good friends.

Simwinga also denied leaving his house keys with Mulenga.

He argued that Okpara had failed to show how he and Mulenga allegedly committed adultery in his petition.

“The first co-respondent (Simwinga) objects to the prayers contained in the petition as the petitioner (Okpara) has failed to establish adultery and it will be unjust if the petitioner were to be awarded damages. The claim against the first co-respondent before this honourable court should be dismissed for being frivolous and malicious due to the foregoing reasons,” Simwinga stated.

In his reply to the petition, Mwanawasa also denied Okpara’s allegations, saying Mulenga was a mere friend whom he had the privilege of discussing business by virtue of their employment.

He added that at no time did he rent an apartment as alleged by Okpara in the petition and further stated that Okpara’s allegations were malicious and not tantamount to adultery, which was the main issue in the petition.

Mwanawasa urged the court not to award Okpara damages and costs as it would amount to unfair and unjust entrenchment.

He stated that Mulenga was an adult and no one would take peculiar advantage of her as a married woman.

And in her answer to the petition, Mulenga had admitted that her marriage with Okpara had broken down irretrievably, but added that the reasons for the breakdown were none of the allegations by her husband.

She strongly denied committing adultery with Simwinga and Mwanawasa, stating that Mwanawasa was a friend, who was at the time working in Eastern Province.

Mulenga added that she simply went to pay him a visit as friends normally would when he was in town and used the rented duplex apartment to hold meetings.

Mulenga also denied having an intimate relationship with Simwinga and maintained that the relationship between them had always been plutonic.