Tenant publicly taunts HIV-positive landlady

The court also heard that the tenant uses obscene language to insult her landlady.

A HARARE woman yesterday approached the civil court seeking a peace order against her tenant whom she accuses of emotionally abusing her because of her HIV status.

The complainant told Harare magistrate Sharon Mashavira that her female tenant causes her psychological trauma as she always taunts her because of her HIV status.

“My psychological well-being has been disturbed by the respondent because she is always finding ways to provoke me and insult me that I survive on HIV medication,” she said.

 “I am now embarrassed to move around in the neighbourhood because she has publicised my status to everyone,” she said.

The court also heard that the tenant uses obscene language to insult her landlady.

“I was advised to apply for a peace order by the police after I reported her for insulting me in May. She told me that as a drunkard she was way better than me who survives on HIV pills.

“She also walks around telling people that my urine stinks as bad as illicit drinks that are abused by elderly people in our neighbourhood. She said since I have HIV, my genitals have now developed gangrene,” she said.

The tenant, however, denied the allegations and instead accused the latter of concocting the charge to justify her eviction.

Mashavira ruled in favour of the landlady and ordered the tenant to stop insulting her and spreading her HIV status to members of the community.

Related Topics