Court orders father to pay maintenance for three children

Takudzwa Mangrozah

Herald Reporter

A man, Misheck Chekai, was ordered to pay US$90 for the maintenance of his three children after he was taken to the Harare Civil Court by his former wife, Tanatswa Mutambanengwe .

Mutambanengwe was seeking US$120 per month in maintenance for the three children. Chekai told the court that he could only afford to pay US$40. He instead offered to pay full school fees for the children, as he was currently out of work.

The court asked Mr Chekai how he was sustaining himself. “I am living at a church where I carry out maintenance work and earn US$80 per month.”

Mutambanengwe told the court that the children had not attended school since schools opened, explaining that following their separation, she did not have a permanent place to stay.

She added that she wanted the children to be enrolled at a school close to where they would soon be staying.

In her ruling, Magistrate Hannah Fazilahmed ordered Mr Chekai to pay US$90 per month in maintenance and pay the children’s school fees.