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Ivan Zhakata
Court Correspondent
A Harare man has applied to the Harare Civil Court for the cancellation of a birth certificate indicating he is the father of his girlfriend’s child after DNA tests revealed otherwise.
The man said he entered into a relationship with his girlfriend in April last year, and was told she was pregnant in June, identifying him as the father.
The child was born on October 14 last year, with maternity records reflecting that the girlfriend delivered after a nine-month pregnancy.
The man disputed paternity since they had known each other for seven months, but he supported the child after being told the alternative was a maintenance order.
The girlfriend told him she had secured a birth certificate indicating he was father, although he had never surrendered his identification documents to the mother.
He then engaged the mother’s relatives for DNA tests to clarify the paternity of the child.
In March this year, he went with the child for tests and in August he was told there was zero probability that he was the biological father.
The girlfriend did not dispute the results and pleaded with the man to seek advice to cancel the birth certificate and resolve the matter amicably.
The matter has been set down for hearing on November 9 at the Harare Civil Court.
Online Reporter