Local farmer, Maria Zileni Zaloumis, popularly known for her successful tomato farming business, has dragged her friend Mubaba Mangilashi to court for assault.

Mubaba is alleged to have assaulted Maria on September 15, this year, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

The story of Mubaba and Maria had recently made rounds on social media, alleging that Maria grabbed her friend, Mubaba’s husband Justin Phiri.

It is further alleged that the assault happened after Mubaba found her husband at Maria’s house.

According to a Facebook posting by Mubaba, she confirmed having engaged in a physical fight with Maria after she found her husband in Maria’s house, a person she considered as her mentor.

Mubaba had further stated that she felt so much pain and betrayed after a person she considered as her mentor, started hitting out with her husband.

“I wish to give my side to this story that has gone viral. Justin and I have been married for nine years. Like no marriage is perfect, ours was no exception. For most of his flaws, he would make up for them with lavish holidays and expensive gifts. I met Maria Zileni Zaloumis at LICS [Lusaka International Community School] as our kids attend the same school and are classmates. We soon hit it off on a business level and later became friends. She spoke about her surviving an abusive marriage and making it on her own. I was inspired by her story and drew closer to get mentorship,” read part of her Facebook post.

“On September 15, I went to collect my daughter’s jersey and shoes she had left at Maria’s house. Upon arriving, I noticed my husband’s car in the driveway and my heart skipped! As I approached the house, my husband’s eyes met mine through the window and at that point I came out of the car and started shouting and screaming. Maria closed the doors and called the police. She gathered herself and came out of the house while my husband stayed in the house. There was no remorse in her tone and she insulted back at me. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me; I felt betrayed and taken for granted. At that point I felt so much rage and pain. That’s how we got into a physical fight. I was then arrested while nursing my broken heart.”

Mubaba is expected to take plea before Lusaka Magistrate Alice Walusiku on October 15, 2018, as she was not present when the matter came up on Thursday morning.