adminMpumelelo Nyoni Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man stunned the court yesterday when he offered to pay $5 per month as maintenance for his three-year-old daughter.
Sabelo Nkomo from Gwabalanda suburb was dragged to court by his estranged lover, Hope Munkombwe, who demanded $80 monthly payment for the upkeep of their minor child.
Nkomo said he worked as a herdboy and told magistrate Takunda Mtetwa he could not afford $80 claiming he had not been paid for the past two months.
“I’m employed as a homestead keeper in Plumtree and I earn $50 a month. I haven’t been paid for the past two months so I have been living with my brother here in Bulawayo. I can only afford to pay $5 because my wife is pregnant,” said Nkomo.
He said he was shocked to be in court as he had forgiven Munkombwe for allegedly killing their first child.
“I’m shocked to be here. Last year she killed our first child when she put salt in his mouth during a ritual. I had to call a meeting with my aunt about the issue and we resolved it. She is just trying to fix me because I chased her away when I found out that she was sleeping with another man,” said Nkomo.
Munkombwe denied the allegation that she killed their child.
Mtetwa told Nkomo to meet his responsibilities as a father before ordering him to pay $35 per month starting end of July.
“It doesn’t matter that your new wife is pregnant. You decided to have another child so that means you can take care of your first one. It’s your duty as a father so you must pay maintenance,” said the magistrate.
Online Reporter