In a jaw-dropping twist worthy of a soap opera, estranged husband Alexius Manyanda walked out of custody yesterday after coughing up a whopping $8,020 in maintenance arrears. While this eye-watering sum secured his release, it apparently did not come with a magic wand to erase the dark cloud of violent threat allegations still looming over his head.

The courtroom drama unfolded like a high-stakes auction, with the State dramatically announcing it would no longer oppose bail presumably after seeing the fat check ,leaving Manyanda free but legally banned from interfering with his ex-wife, Nyasha Pamella Timba. Timba, a decorated lawyer and multiple award winner, now holds the very exclusive title of “Person Not to Be Messed With” in this saga.

But here’s the kicker, despite paying off what some might call a small fortune, Manyanda still faces trial on September 23 for allegedly turning into a Shakespearean villain at a police station, threatening to spill blood and regrets. Prosecutors say he unleashed a chilling warning, including a spicy Shona phrase promising “It won’t end without blood.” Talk about courtroom theatrics!

Legal experts and onlookers alike are scratching their heads ,is this a case where an $8,000+ payment buys freedom but not forgiveness or safety? Should cash settlements influence cases involving alleged threats that sound like a script from a thriller movie? The debate rages on.

For now, Manyanda enjoys his temporary liberty, but come September, the stage is set for more drama, tension, and maybe even a plot twist or two. In Harare’s legal theatre, it seems the show must go on because money may settle debts, but it can’t hush the thunder of threats.

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