Bulawayo — In a dramatic turn of events, Moosa Hassen Esat, a well-known businessman in Bulawayo, has been accused of being a “bully” by his ex-wife, Ishmael Gaibee. The allegations came to light during the trial at the Bulawayo magistrate court, where Esat is facing charges of contempt of court.

The allegations against Esat stem from an incident on 29 June of this year. According to court documents, Esat had taken their child from Gaibee’s custody to celebrate the annual festival of Eid Mubarak at his home in the North End suburb. However, he allegedly failed to return the child on the same day, prompting Gaibee to contact him. Esat reportedly promised to return the child but failed to do so, leading Gaibee to involve the police.

The court papers suggest that Esat eventually returned the child the following day, which was a direct violation of a court order. This action resulted in his arrest and subsequent appearance before Bulawayo magistrate Gamuchirai Gore, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In his defense, Esat, represented by his lawyer Mutsa Nyamutowa, claimed that he attempted to return the child on the day of the incident but encountered resistance from Gaibee. He argued that the court order lacked specific instructions regarding the timing of custody exchanges on Eid Mubarak day.

Esat detailed his attempts to hand over the child after celebrating Eid Mubarak. He stated that after dinner, he took the child back to Gaibee’s residence and attempted to contact her through hooting and ringing the bell. With no response, he reportedly returned to his home with the child. Esat then sought assistance from the police, who accompanied him to Gaibee’s house but were unable to facilitate the exchange.

According to Esat, the situation was only resolved the following day with police intervention. Gaibee, on the other hand, used her time during cross-examination to characterize her relationship with Esat as tumultuous. She accused him of flouting court orders and described him as a bully who had previously harassed her.

The trial has captivated local attention due to the prominence of the individuals involved and the accusations of bullying and misconduct. As proceedings continue, the court will ultimately decide the outcome of the charges against Moosa Hassen Esat.- state media