Hillary Makoni has won a civil case ordering her ex-boyfriend, Mention Manyonga, to repay US$450, after the court upheld an affidavit of debt he signed during their relationship.
Makoni told the court that the money was borrowed by Manyonga while they were still together. She said she relied on a written affidavit in which he acknowledged owing her the amount. She argued that the document was clear and binding.
“A debt is a debt,” Makoni said. “Signing an affidavit means you must pay.”
She further stated that Manyonga pushed her to take out a loan on his behalf and later refused to return the money. She said she wanted closure after the end of their relationship. “The relationship is over. I no longer love him, and I want my money back,” she said.
In her submissions, she maintained that the affidavit served as solid proof that the debt existed and that Manyonga had voluntarily accepted the obligation.
However, Manyonga told the court that the affidavit was not a formal financial agreement but something he signed out of affection. He said he believed they were simply helping each other as partners. “I accepted to sign that affidavit out of love. I never expected to be fixed by someone I once loved,” he said.
He explained that financial support flowed both ways throughout the relationship and that he did not think their exchanges amounted to debt that required legal enforcement.
Despite the emotional accounts, the magistrate ruled that the affidavit remained a legal commitment. The court emphasised that its role was to interpret documented obligations rather than relationship dynamics.
Manyonga was ordered to repay the full US$450, bringing the matter to a close with a judgment grounded on the signed agreement.
