In a case that has shocked the public and attracted the attention of many, a Tanzanian court has dissolved a marriage that existed for two decades without sexual intercourse.

The marriage between gospel singer Rebecca Magaba, and Zabron Maselege was declared over after the couple allegedly failed to consummate it for 21 years.

According to the court papers, Maselege suffers from cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testes fail to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum.

While giving evidence in court on why the marriage should be dissolved, the singer claimed they failed to have sexual intercourse during the 21 years of marriage because her now ex-husband suffered from cryptorchidism.

This condition is generally rare in full-term babies, but common in baby boys born prematurely.

When one suffers from cryptorchidism, he may suffer infertility as the production of sperms, the basic function of the testicles, becomes impossible.

Delivering the ruling, Resident Magistrate Mwinyiheri Kondo said the court decided to dissolve the marriage “after satisfying itself that the couple is doing things contrary to marital expectations.”

In the dissolution, the court-ordered equitable division of assets accumulated during the marriage.

A 10-acre farm located in Bagamoyo, two shops located in Bonyokwa, and a tree farm located in Kigoma were given to Maselege, while Rebecca kept a real estate property in Madale, Dar es Salaam.