Man claims child dead to evade US$100 maintenance

A Harare man last week told a Harare civil court magistrate that his former wife was claiming an upward variation of maintenance fees for a dead child, but the magistrate was sure the child was alive and ordered him to pay up.

Cladwin Chasukwa was brought to court by his former wife Susan Charambira who was seeking an upwards variation in maintenance fees.

Charambira had applied for the monthly maintenance fees she was receiving towards the upkeep of their seven-year-old child to be increased from US$30 to US$100.

"I am earning US$218 per month. I have another wife and I am taking care of her and three other children. I last saw the child in question five years ago and her relatives told me my child died.

"I am not in a position to pay maintenance for a dead child," Chasukwa said.

He pleaded with the court to allow him to see the child and said he would then be satisfied to know where his money is being spent.

In her application, Charambira said the first maintenance order was granted after Chasukwa said he was paying off a loan.

"When we last appeared in court, I was awarded US$30 because he said he had applied for a loan which he was paying back to a bank.

"He deserted the family when the child was only a year old and did not contribute anything towards upkeep.

"The child is now in Grade Two and she requires more money to cater for school fees."

Magistrate Ms Olivia Mariga increased the maintenance fees and ordered Chasukwa to pay US$50.