Online Reporter
Lynnet Khaka
A mother’s plea for increased financial support for her three children culminated in a court ruling that split school fees after a dispute over the father’s income.
Yvonne Matara took Albert Gutu to the maintenance court, seeking $200 per month for the upkeep of their three children aged 11, 8 and 5.
Matara, who runs a tuckshop, testified that her earnings are a modest $90 per month. She further requested assistance with rental and communication expenses, saying Gutu had blocked her, severing a line of support and contact.
“I need help to take care of our children,” Matara told the court. “The money I make is not enough for food, rent and school.”
In his response, Albert Gutu presented himself as a security guard earning a monthly salary of $180.
He acknowledged his responsibility but pleaded a limited capacity to pay, citing financial commitments to another child from a different relationship.
Gutu offered to pay $60 in monthly maintenance and stated he was willing to share the burden of school fees on a 50-50 basis.
However, Matara fiercely contested his claims, accusing him of lying about his financial situation.
“He is not a security guard; he is a boss at the company that he works at and earns $350 per month,” she asserted in her rebuttal, painting a picture of a man capable of providing more substantial support.
After considering the arguments from both sides, the presiding magistrate delivered a judgment that aimed to balance the needs of the children with the verified financial circumstances.
The court ordered Albert Gutu to pay $80 per month in maintenance, a figure $20 higher than his offer but significantly lower than Matara’s initial request. The magistrate also granted Matara’s implicit plea regarding education, ruling that Gutu must share the responsibility for school fees, splitting the cost evenly with her.
