adminMidlands Correspondent
A SHURUGWI man divorced his wife and married another woman allegedly because one the children has with the first wife is disabled.
The man, Shelton Williams, who is employed by giant platinum concern, Unki Mine, is now embroiled in a civil court battle with the ex-wife, Nothando Madzivire, after he successfully contested that the $300 maintenance he had been paying for the two minors he sired with Ms Madzivire, which include the 10-year-old girl living with disability, be reduced to $50.
According to court documents, which were availed to Sunday News, Madzivire is now contesting the ruling by Shurugwi magistrate Mrs Evia Matura that Williams should pay only $50 for the two minors.
“I am still puzzled as to how the magistrate came to the ruling that Williams stops paying the $300 he has been paying for the two children we have together. He is gainfully employed as a fitter at Unki Mine and the $50 that he is now paying is not enough to cater for the two children’s education and food, let alone shelter,” argued Madzivire in her appeal against the ruling.
In an interview, Madzivire said she was shocked by the magistrates’ ruling, adding that the older child was no longer going to school as the $50 could not cater for school fees and food.
“I have lodged an appeal against the ruling that was awarded to Williams by the magistrate because he has been paying $300 for the two children I have with him but he successfully applied that the figure be reduced,” said Mrs Madzivire.
She said he was happily married to Williams until 2008 when their first-born girl experienced health complications which later condemned her to the wheelchair.
“Our problems started after our firstborn developed health problem. When she was four years old, she was diagnosed of calcium deficiency and she became disabled and started using a wheelchair,” she said.
Madzivire said Williams moved out of their matrimonial home when the girl’s health started deteriorating until she was put on wheelchair.
She said since then she has been struggling to fend for the disabled minor and her younger brother who is three.
“I went to the courts and was awarded $300 maintenance for the two children until recently when Williams decided to contest the figure which the magistrate reduced to $50,” she said.
Madzivire said she was struggling to fend for the two children, adding that the disabled girl was now out of school as she could no longer afford the school fees.
“Because of her problem, she was still in Grade One but she is now out of school as I cannot afford to pay her fees. What pains me is that she is very intelligent but she is doing nothing at home. I am not employed and I can’t raise school fees for her,” she said.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Williams were fruitless as he was not answering his mobile phone.
Online Reporter