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Melody Vherenaisi
Weekender Reporter
As a maintenance battle got ugly, a local woman dragged her child’s father to the Mutare Magistrates Civil Court to seek an upwards review of the maintenance of the couple’s four-year-old child from $6 000 to USD70.
Although Nyasha Muchena wanted Tawanda Nyautsa to pay USD70 per month for the upkeep of their minor child, Nyautsa said he could not afford it and offered to pay $10 000.
He argued that he is currently unemployed.
However, Mutare magistrate Mr Xavier Chipato ordered Nyautsa to pay USD25 every month.
Nyautsa told the court that while he stays with his wife, whenever Muchena needs something, including food, she goes to his place of residence to get it.
He said she is also asthmatic and he gives her the money for medication.
“At times she comes to my house to get some food stuffs for the child and herself, hence there is no need to claim an upwards variation of maintenance,” he said.
However, Muchena disputed this and told the court that Nyautsa is not taking care of his child.
Nyautsa revealed that Muchena has been his girlfriend for the past five years, adding that he is no longer interested in her ever since she developed a growth on her private parts.
“I started seeing Muchena about five years ago and I would go for weeks staying at her house. This is despite the fact that she knew that I had a wife and two children.
“When she developed a growth, I told her that I was no longer interested in her but was going to take care of my son. However, she is still interested in me and that is why she decided to fix me through this application,” said Nyautsa.
Mr Chipato ordered Nyautsa to fork out USD25 every month for the upkeep of his child.
He was also ordered to also pay half of his child’s school fees as well as to cater for all the school related expenses.
Online Reporter