Warrant of arrest for deputy mayor's ex-lover

THE ex-lover of the Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda, who had brought him to court over their child's maintenance arrears amounting to $2 400, but absconded, is still on the run after a Bulawayo magistrate issued a warrant of arrest against her sometime in October this year.

Banda's ex-lover Kholiwe Sitshoni is reported to have gone to South Africa, where she is based, leaving the case pending.

In October, magistrate Tawanda Muchemwa, who was expected to make a ruling in Banda's contempt of court case for defaulting paying maintenance, had to issue a warrant of arrest for her, as she did not pitch up.

This meant that she is being charged with contempt of court as well.

Banda had defaulted paying maintenance for the child he had with Sitshoni, with the debt accumulating to $2 400, prompting the child's mother to return to the courts to report the default.

On the day when Sitshoni defaulted, the court heard that Banda had settled the arrears, but the State and the court were yet to make a final ruling on his contempt of court.

Muchemwa ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued against Sitshoni for defaulting court, while he ruled that Banda be placed off remand pending the arrest of the child's mother, with the case now expected to proceed by way of summons.

Banda was later fined $20 for contempt of court.

The State alleges that on January 27 2014, Banda was ordered to pay maintenance of $150 per month for the upkeep of his child.

Banda defaulted paying for the agreed months in 2014.

The deputy mayor was due to pay his child's school fees and medical bills last July and he accumulated arrears of $2 400.