Army boss duped of $14 400

Lovemore Meya Court Reporter
An army colonel is demanding $14 400 he paid as maintenance to his ex-girlfriend for eight years after it emerged the child “now late” was her younger sister’s son.

Col Richard Parwada (57) of 5 Eagleway, Mt Pleasant in Harare fell in love with Ruth Musonza (39) of Unit L in Chitungwiza while she was staying in Shamva.

They met sometime in March 2002 and stayed together until May when Parwada was assigned to go and work in South Africa, leaving Musonza in Shamva.

Musonza later allegedly advised Col Parwada that she was pregnant.

The court heard that the pair had not communicated for four years when they met in 2006 at Elizabeth Hotel in the capital. Musonza allegedly told Col Parwada that she gave birth to a baby boy when he was still in South Africa.

Col Parwada went to see the child and was told that the boy was born on December 18 in 2002.

He did not object and started maintaining the child since 2006 to 2014.

All this time the child was staying with Musonza’s young sister Hazvinei (30).

Parwada was paying rentals, buying food and clothes for the child and his mother. On September 19, last year, Col Parwada received a call from Musonza informing him of the death of their son due to injuries sustained in an inferno.

Col Parwada attended the funeral until the boy was buried. All hell broke loose when the truth came out revealing that Phillip Kaunda whom Col Parwada thought was his son was in actual fact, Hazvinei’s child.

Shocked by the new developments, Col Parwada confronted Hazvinei who told him that it was indeed her son.

She produced a birth certificate to substantiate her claims although Musonza had lied to Col Parwada when he demanded it claiming it had been burnt during the inferno.

Col Parwada reported the matter to the police leading to Musonza’s arrest, while Hazvinei is on the run.

Musonza was not asked to plead to fraud charges when she appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mrs Jessy Kufa.

She was remanded out of custody to July 11.

Mr Innocent Tizirai prosecuted.