adminTendai Gukutikwa
Driving a T6 Ford Ranger and owning houses in the low-density suburbs of Palmerstone and Darlington saw one man’s application for downwards variation dismissed at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court recently.
Charles Makosi, a self-confessed former diamond dealer, appeared before magistrate Mr Langton Mukwengi with his application for downwards variation on the maintenance of his four children from three different women.
Makosi’s legal representative, Mr Mareyanadzo, had this to tell the court: “Your Worship, my client is no longer in the diamond business, he is now in the taxi business and can no longer afford the money he has been paying for his four illegitimate children. To add to the burden, he also has three other children and his legal wife who are also dependent on him.”
The three women — Ruth Rimai, Melody Chiwada and Melody Chendaida, who have been together receiving $265 for the upkeep of their children — would not have this since they claimed Makosi had other sources of income which were even better than diamond dealing.
The court ordered them to produce evidence which supported their claims to which they did.
“He owns houses in Palmerstone and Darlington where he has tenants who pay him $550 monthly. In addition to that he has just bought a close to new T6 Ford Ranger, a vehicle that is worth a lot of money.”
They also produced before the court documents that proved that the houses belonged to him since he had declined owning the property stating that he only rented the houses and sublet them.
“ZIMRA said the Ford Ranger belonged to him although it is still in the name of the former owner,” Chendaida told the court, after Makosi had denied owning the vehicle through his lawyer.
The court dismissed his application and told him to continue paying the usual amount he has been paying since he was still financially able to contribute to his children’s up-keep.
Online Reporter