Magistrate orders man to stop making babies

A COURT yesterday ordered a married man to stop having affairs and making babies that he could not take care of.

Magistrate Mr Elias Magate also ordered Innocent Zhou (38) from Gwanda's Phakama suburb to be faithful to his wife for health reasons.

Zhou was dragged to court by his ex-girlfriend Ms Revonia Hickey (21) from Bellevue suburb seeking $216 for the upkeep of their eight-months-old baby.

"Can you please stop going around impregnating women. Can't you see that it is dangerous for your wife and four children? Can't you see that you are putting your wife's life in danger," asked Mr Magate.

He added: "If you are poor, you are poor. You have to live within your means. You don't even have a bank account and you have four children but you are busy making children with other women."

Ms Hickey said Zhou is an irresponsible man and has never contributed to the upkeep of the child.

She said she needed the money to buy disposable diapers, food and clothes for the baby.

In response, Zhou said he could not afford  the amount claimed by Ms Hickey because he has a lot of responsibilities including his wife and other children.

"Your Worship, I can only afford to pay $30 per month because l'm unemployed. I survive through assisting builders (daka boy). My other children are at school and l am supposed to pay their school fees as well as buying clothes for them," he said.

The magistrate ordered Zhou to deposit $30 for the upkeep of his baby starting form this month end until the baby attains the age of 18.