But Joel Charamba, 39, had his second union nullified by a Harare magistrate this week. And for his excess love, he is US$20 poorer after being ordered to pay a fine.

Charamba was convicted of practising bigamy, which is illegal under Zimbabwe’s civil law.

Recent amendments to the law, however, allow polygamous marriages although these fall under customary law which is inferior to the civil law – both statutes and regulations.

Harare magistrate Don Ndirowei heard how Charamba, of Tomlinson Depot, married his first wife – Sylet Chari -- in a civil ceremony at the Mutare Magistrate’s Court in 1994.

In 2003, while his previous marriage subsisted, Chari married a second woman – Hilda Jonga -- at the Harare Magistrate’s Court.

Bigamy is illegal under the country’s civil law, although this would not attract a penalty under customary law.

The French-based Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) claims in a recent report that unregistered customary marriage predominates in Zimbabwe’s rural areas, where it is the union in 80 per cent of households.