Ex-lover sues Mugabe's former ally

Suspended Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche has been slapped with a $9 450 per month maintenance lawsuit by his ex-wife after he failed to look after his child.

In her application filed at the Harare Civil Court yesterday, Laura Melisa Ebineng claimed she was customarily married to Goche, whom she described as "a renowned politician and is currently a Member of Parliament" in 2002 and separated in 2006.

During the customary union, the two had a child in 2003, which Ebineng accuse Cde Goche of neglecting.

In her break down of the $9 450, Ebineng said $130 was for rates, with electricity and water at $100, telephone $100, maid $150, food and groceries $290, fuel $480, car maintenance $3 000 and medication $300. School fees will account for $750, rugby training kit $130, rugby training fees $30, pocket money $40, clothes (school and sport uniforms) $500, casual wear $400, holidays $2 500, stationary $100, incidents $400 and insurance $50.