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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
IT never rains but pours for a Bulawayo based cop! Fresh from hospital following an attack by his senior wife that resulted in a skull fracture, Takunda Guvi, who is stationed at Western Commonage Police Station, was yesterday dragged to the maintenance court by his second wife, Sithembiso Ncube for failing to look after their six-month old toddler.
Fed up by her husband’s flimsy excuses over the maintenance of their daughter, Ncube decided to rush to the courts to seek recourse.
Although Ncube demanded $150 from Guvi, Bulawayo magistrate Mr Victor Mpofu came to her rescue when he ordered the police officer to pay $110 instead, beginning end of this month.
Guvi, who had offered to pay $60, tried to plead with the magistrate to reduce the amount, but Mr Mpofu stood his ground.
“Your Worship, $110 is too much for me considering that I am getting peanuts at work. I am offering $60 because I have only one child and I am also trying to build a house in my rural home in Chirumanzu,” said Guvi.
The magistrate dismissed the plea, saying: “I can’t reduce that amount to $60 because it is too little. How do you expect two people to survive on $60? In fact, if we are to go by the book you were supposed to give your wife $144 and I reduced it to $110, which is fair and reasonable considering the salary that you are getting.”
Ncube told the court that her husband stopped sending money for her upkeep and that of their daughter, two months ago.
“My husband would only visit home for just two days and once back in Bulawayo he would not bother to send the money for our upkeep and it’s two months now since we last received money. Each time I contact him he just gives me excuses.
“I am suffering with my daughter since I am not working, which is why I am demanding money for maintenance,” she said.
When the magistrate asked Guvi why he had stopped sending money for the upkeep of his wife and daughter, he responded: “I did not manage to send money for the past two months because I was in hospital.
I was struck on the forehead with a log by my elder wife and I sustained a fracture on the skull and at one point I got mentally disturbed as a result of that.”
Online Reporter