Online Reporter
Jemira Chitakunye
A battle for child custody between a couple that divorced 12 years ago has spilled into the courts after the estranged husband kidnapped one of their minor children from boarding school.
The matter came to light at the Harare Civil Court where Paul Makonesi had his application for protection order against his ex-wife, Nomazulu Ndlovu dismissed.
Makonesi accused Ndlovu of being violent and acrimonious towards him following his decision to find new love recently.
However, Makonesi’s application was dismissed by magistrate Meenal Narotam for lack of merit.
The court highlighted that Makonesi must first answer to the kidnap charges before seeking the court’s protection.
“I was informed by the school head that my child was missing from school and l had to file a police report.
“It’s been 12 years since we separated and Makonesi has made my life a living hell, he has already taken two other children to the rural areas.
“He kidnapped the last one from school in Bulawayo and now he wants to get a protection order against me so that l will not have access to my children, it pains me,” said Ndlovu as she broke down in court.
She added;
“l want him to bring me back my child. He is still a minor and to make matters worse the other two that are in his rural area where they are being mistreated.
“ I can’t hold the pain that l have, if you grant him this protection order he will deny me access to see my children and also l will not be able to help those that are being maltreated by his mother in the rural home.”
She also claimed Makonesi harboured plans to use their children for rituals, hence his move to take the children to his rural home.
Makonesi claimed Ndlovu was disrespecting him and his new girlfriend.
“Nomazulu came to my house last week and banged on my doors, windows and caused a scene.
“She insulted my girlfriend claiming that we want to use her child for rituals with the intention to tarnish me and end my relationship.
“She assaulted my girlfriend with sticks and threatened to burn down my house if we continued seeing each other,” said Makonesi.
