Tinashe Nengomasha and Samantha Mtukudzi’s Tumultuous Divorce Takes New Legal Turn Over Property Dispute

The ongoing and high-profile divorce between former Zimbabwean footballer Tinashe Nengomasha and Samantha Mtukudzi, daughter of the late music legend Oliver Mtukudzi, has taken another dramatic turn as the couple returns to court over a contentious property dispute.

At the heart of the latest legal battle is the valuation of their Hillside residence, a property the court had previously ordered them to sell and split the proceeds. Nengomasha has filed an urgent application to block Samantha from selling the property, accusing her of deliberately undervaluing the home to delay or hinder its sale.

This fresh dispute comes months after their marriage was officially dissolved by High Court Judge Justice Neville WaMambo in May 2023. The court awarded Nengomasha custody of their minor children, following divorce proceedings that began in December 2018. Samantha cited prolonged separation and irreconcilable differences as the reasons for the split.

Despite the court’s ruling to sell the property and share the proceeds, tensions have escalated as the estranged couple struggles to agree on the property’s true value. Nengomasha has expressed frustration with the process, accusing Samantha not only of undervaluing the property but also of neglecting their children and failing to pay her court-ordered monthly maintenance of US$50 per child.

Samantha had initially sought full custody of the children, but the court granted her access to them every weekend, on public holidays, and for half of each school holiday. Despite the custody ruling, the legal battles between the two have shown no signs of abating.

In addition to the property dispute, Samantha’s divorce petition included claims for a share of the couple’s assets, including furniture, salon equipment, vehicles, and gym equipment from their homes in Harare and South Africa. These assets remain a point of contention as the divorce settlement continues to be negotiated.

With Samantha being the daughter of Daisy Mtukudzi, widow of the late music icon, the public has closely followed the case, particularly given its connections to one of Zimbabwe’s most beloved musical legacies. As both parties navigate the legal and emotional complexities of their separation, the public awaits further developments in what has become a highly publicized and contentious divorce.