The Sunday News
Thulani Ndlovu
A SON-IN-LAW who is suing his girlfriend over a “breach of love contract”, has allegedly chased his in-laws out of their house, forcing them to find alternative accommodation.Mr Mark Lenoury now resides in the house in dispute at number 17 Waterlea Road in Kingsdale with his four-year-old son. Lenoury said he was entitled to stay at the house because he effected renovations and fed his girlfriend, Ms Vanessa van Vuuren’s family.
“What hurts me the most is that I am now being ill-treated after effecting renovations of more than $30 000 in that house. I will not move out of the house without a court order,” said Mr Lenoury.
Mr Lenoury, worked for a US government contractor in Sudan and Djibouti.
In terms of the “love contract” seen by Sunday News, Ms van Vuuren was prohibited from among other things, attending parties or any functions, using the internet, contacting her family or having friends, travelling by foot and leaving the couple’s dwellings without prior authorisation from Mr Lenoury.
Speaking at The Sunday News offices yesterday, an emotionally drained Ms van Vuuren narrated the circumstances that led her to sign the contract.
“Mark literally said to me, if anything happens to my baby and you do not sign the contract I will kill you.”
She added: “That is not all, during our time together, a house we lived in in Harare had two security gates, an external one and the internal gate. When Mark left the house he would lock both gates including the door. He literally kept me as a prisoner. When I asked him how I was to escape if any unfortunate incident of fire happens, he would say I would be fine.”
Furthermore, Ms van Vuuren said during her relationship with Lenoury she was prohibited from seeing her family including her mother or any friends.
“During the time of our stay in Harare, my mum came down to see me. Mark went to the gate to attend to her but he chased her away saying there was not enough bedding for an extra person in the house,” said Ms van Vuuren.
Mr Lenoury moved into Ms van Vuuren’s family home last year when he fell on hard times, after he had lost his job.
“Due to his abuse and threats, my mother and I decided to leave the house. We have since sold the house in question, to a Dr Mushonga and Mark will be served with an eviction notice on Tuesday,” she said.
