Online Reporter
Anotida Chonzi
Herald Reporter
A 78-year-old retiree, Francis Nyandoro, has been ordered by the court to settle his maintenance arrears and outstanding pay school fees for his two children, despite them having reached adulthood.
Nyandoro appeared before Harare Civil court Magistrate Ms Faina Makumbe seeking the discharge of his maintenance order.
He told the court that the two children for whom he was paying maintenance have now turned 18, and one of them is even employed.
“The two children I have been ordered to pay maintenance for are now adults and one of them is now working. Hence I am asking to be discharged,” he said.
His ex-lover, Zvisinei Diringa, contested the request and told the court that Nyandoro had stopped paying maintenance way before the children had turned 18.
“He stopped paying maintenance before the children reached the age of 18, he also stopped paying school fees. I was unable to collect my son’s A level certificate due to outstanding school fees,” she said.
She asked the court to order Nyandoro to pay the outstanding school fees and also the maintenance money he owes her.
Nyandoro said that his failure to comply with the maintenance order is due to his retirement and unstable finances.
“I am 78 years old, I stopped giving her maintenance money and paying school fees when I retired, my finances have been unstable since then,” he said.
After considering both sides, Magistrate Makumbe ordered Nyandoro to settle the outstanding maintenance balance and pay the overdue school fees.
“Settle your outstanding balance to avoid arrest, though the maintenance order becomes irrelevant when children turn 18.”
Online Reporter