Man sues Indian for ‘stealing’ his wife

By Samuel Balagadde

AMOS Odongo’s love affair with Ritah Namutebi has taken a wrong turn. The two met in 2004 as workmates with AGOA in Bugolobi.

They lived together in Kisugu, Namuwongo. After Agoa, Odongo got a job at Mulago Paramedical School and his wife took on teaching at a primary school in the city.

But when the first born came, he was a half caste. “I was shocked. My relatives demanded that I ask for an explanation. My wife said he resembled her mother who was in South Africa. Because I loved my wife, I decided to ignore it and named him Oyo Owora.”

Odongo said he wanted to cement his relationship by getting married formally but Namutebi refused because her mother was away. “One day, she gave me a phone number, saying her mother had come back. I called her about an introduction and she said it was not necessary as long as we were fine. When I insisted, she hang up.”

When Odongo insisted on the visit, Namutebi’s mother finally agreed to host them in Jinja for the first visit. “She wrote a list of items we needed to go with and I bought all of them. I got a few friends and we hired a vehicle to Jinja. But on arrival, the mother refused to see me. Namutebi suggested we leave the things we had brought to help her change her mind.”

The couple had a second child, Jackson Oburu. “He was a real Japadhola, as black as I am,” Odongo said.

One day Namutebi received a call while bathing. “It was from her mother,” said Odongo. “I took the phone to a female neighbour and we put it on loudspeaker. She was entreating her daughter to leave her poor husband and go with the Indian, the father of her son. She said the Indian had promised her a car, demanded that Namutebi tells me the truth and takes the Indian’s son to join him.”

Odongo confronted his wife and she confessed that the child’s real father was indeed an Indian known as Nathan, their former supervisor at AGOA. Odongo called Nathan who agreed he was the father, but added that he had ended the affair and had nothing to do with the woman or her son. According to Odongo, Nathan promised to give him money to look after the boy. That was last year. Two weeks ago, Odongo returned home to find his wife, children and property gone. He called Nathan, who confirmed they were safe somewhere on Salaama Road.

Odongo demanded that his family returns but Nathan reportedly said it was not possible. Odongo also wanted Nathan to refund all the money he used to look after his son

He opened a kidnap case of his child at Kisugu police post (SD25/03/06/10) against Nathan and Namutebi.

When contacted on phone, Nathan denied having kidnapped Odongo’s family. But he admitted having an affair with Namutebi.

“I am too busy to stay married in one place. I am a civil engineer who spends most of my time moving to different parts of the country. Right now, I am going to Kakira sugar factory to service machines,” he said.

He told Bukedde FM that the first time he met Namutebi and another girl, he and his friend used to pay them for sex. Then she told him she was pregnant. “I wanted to take her in but I heard she got married. When she delivered, she called me.”

Nathan adds that he named his son Rajah but he couldn’t marry Namutebi because Indian culture forbade it. Later, Namutebi asked him for help because they were living in poverty. “I did not want my son to grow up deprived, so I rented them a better place, but I don’t live with them. And if Odongo wants to take me to court over kidnap, let him go ahead. I came in because I want to give my son a better life.”

Asked about the whereabouts of Odongo’s family, Nathan said Namutebi was at school teaching, his son Rajah (Owora) was also at school studying but Odongo’s son was with Namutebi’s mother in Jinja. He advised Odongo to go to Jinja to look for his son.

Namutebi was disappointed that Nathan could call her a prostitute. “How could he say he used to buy me? How can any man call his son’s mother a prostitute? I am a trained teacher.”

She explained that she had gone through a rough time at Odongo’s place and her neighbours used to praise her resilience. “The man always accused me of infidelity and beat me. I was the one looking after the home but when he got a job, he changed. It came to a time and my patience wore off. I rented another place. Odongo is lying when he says I eloped with the Indian or that he came to my home. I don’t understand men; after all the good you do for them, they turn around and start treating you like garbage.”

She says she is not ready to give him his child, Oburu because Odongo is too poor to give the boy a good start in life. “After all, my boy is still too young to leave his mother. I am also told that Odongo has another woman. I would be stupid to allow my child to grow up with a step mother.” But Odongo says he will get his son whatever it takes.