Affair costs woman R75 000
2009-08-21 08:20
Pietermaritzburg - Her seven-year love affair with a married man will cost Kamini Greadie R75 000 in addition to all the legal costs incurred by her and her former lover's ex-wife, Kamintha Gounder.
Greadie was not present when judgment was handed down in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.
Kamintha, though smiling and clearly satisfied with the outcome, told The Witness she preferred not to comment.
'Enticed' man to leave wife
Acting High Court Judge Nigel Hollis on Thursday ruled that Greadie committed adultery with Anand Gounder over a prolonged period in spite of finding out that he was married by at least April 2002, and also accepted that she had "enticed" him to leave his wife.
The couple eventually divorced in September 2008.
In October 2006 Judge Jan Hugo ordered Greadie to pay damages of R75 000 to Kamintha, but the order was rescinded a month later as she was not present to defend herself in court.
Hollis said he was asked by advocate, Alistair McIntosh (on behalf of Kamintha) to now increase the award to R100 000 because Greadie admitted having openly continued her relationship with Anand after that judgment was rescinded up until about four months ago.
However, Hollis said in his opinion any increase in the amount awarded previously "might be considered punitive in nature" and under the circumstances he believed the sum of R75 000 remained fair.
He said Hugo had found that Kamintha's rights were seriously infringed by Greadie's conduct.
Hollis said he'd found Kamintha to be an "impressive" witness.
He said it was accepted by all the parties that the affair between Anand and Greadie started in December 2001 and only ended some four months ago, even though from 2005 it was "on and off" because Greadie had moved away.
Reconciled with husband
Greadie is currently trying to reconcile with her husband, and the court accepted she has now "realised the error of her ways".
Greadie gave birth to his child in January 2003.
"The affair was in flagrant disregard of the feelings of (Kamintha) who at all times was intent on saving her marriage," he said.
According to Kamintha she had a "good marriage" before the affair, and she and her husband had two young boys.
Greadie, who worked as a sales representative, met Anand at a sports bar he owned and became a frequent visitor.
According to Kamintha, during the affair, Greadie telephoned her on several occasions and
suggested she leave her husband.
Humiliated
She once also humiliated her by telling her she'd slept on her bed at her matrimonial home.
Another time she told Kamintha's sons that they "now have a sister" referring to her love child.
Kamintha testified that after she hired a private investigator and followed her husband to Greadie's work place she'd found him hiding in the shower.
There was an altercation between the two women as a result of which Kamintha sustained scratches to her nose and face.
Hollis said "somewhat surprisingly" Anand gave evidence in his ex-wife's favour at the hearing, but said he was an "unimpressive" witness.