Lover sued for empty marriage promises

FOR failing to fulfil his promise of marrying his long time sweetheart whom he cohabited with for the past 12 years, a Mutare man has been arraigned before the courts.

Norman Chirikure was dragged to court by his girlfriend, Violet Madzimure, who had made a maintenance claim for personal use.

Madzimure told the court that the $130 she was claiming monthly was compensation for the time her boyfriend wasted promising to marry her.

"This man is full of empty promises and for the past 12 years he has been promising to marry me, but to no avail. Your Worship, I rejected potential suitors because I thought he would marry me like he had promised, but up to now there is nothing for he has not paid my bride price.

"What hurts me most is that he left without saying goodbye. Chirikure has finally dumped me and at my age no one wants to marry me. He has to pay me that maintenance as sort of compensation," she said.

Chirikure, however, told the court that he was not in love with Madzimure as alleged though they have been in a relationship for the past 12 years.

"I was not staying with her. She was only my girlfriend, but I do not think that I have to be forced to marry anyone. Besides, in those 12 years that we were dating she sired a child with another man and that discouraged me from marrying her. Why should I be ordered to pay maintenance to someone that I am not married to and have no children with?" he asked.

Mrs Chigodora dismissed the maintenance application and told Madzimure that she was not liable to receive maintenance from Chirikure since he was not her husband and they had not sired any children together. However, Madzimure was advised to sue Chirikure for breach of promises and not maintenance.