adminTendai Gukutikwa
NEGLECTING his daughter saw a police officer being dragged to court, with the woman demanding $150.
Linda Muchenje approached the courts praying for $150 maintenance from Themba Ncube whom she accused of neglecting her together with their daughter.
The two appeared before Mrs Sharon Chipanga and Ncube was ordered to pay $80 monthly for the upkeep of his daughter. Muchenje also consented to the court’s ruling. Muchenje labelled Ncube an irresponsible father who completely forgets that he has a minor daughter who sorely depends on him. She also described him as someone who was financially capable and in a position to pay $150 monthly towards the upkeep of his family.
“I am a cross-border trader, Your Worship, and I can manage to raise only $60 which is not even enough for a week’s expenses.
“He has not been contributing anything towards our daughter’s upkeep. This man is also socially absent in the child’s life, something that will haunt her for the rest of her life,” argued Muchenje.
Muchenje begged the court to knock some sense into her child’s father so that he plays a role in the upbringing of their daughter. Ncube, however, denied the allegations that he was neglecting his daughter socially, saying he spends a lot of his time with her.
“I do not neglect her. I wonder why the mother is lying,” he said.
He offered $80 towards the upkeep of his child, saying he had another family to look after.
“I have four other dependants, Your Worship, and that is my wife, two children and my mother, who is now a senior citizen,” he said.
Muchenje accepted Ncube’s offer, but Mrs Chipanga had some words of warning for him.
“You are so lucky that she is content with the $80 you are offering, otherwise we would have divided your income into five parts and share it between yourself and your three children.
“You have a right to two parts of your salary and they share the remaining two parts,” she said.
Online Reporter