Wrangle over Chimbetu estate

Dendera musician Allan Chimbetu is under fire from family members for trying to usurp his late brother Briam's estate at the expense of the deceased's children.

Allan, who inherited a house in Kuwadzana 6 from his other late brother Simon, is said to have been squandering income from Briam's two houses in Kuwadzana Extension and Tynwald before he invaded one of the properties last year.

The musician is the only surviving "father" in the family following the death of his brothers Simon, Naison and Briam (also known as Brian).

Allan has been staying in a house left by Simon in Kuwadzana 6 for many years while collecting rentals from Briam's two houses. Briam's house in Kuwadzana Extension has four rooms while the Tynwald house has six rooms.

Briam left six children that have reportedly hardly benefited from their father's estate with Allan managing the houses.

Last year, Allan moved into the Tynwald house with his second wife and two children purporting to be protecting the interests of Briam's children. However, one of Briam's children who was supposed to write her O'Level examinations last year failed to do so because she could not get examination fees.

The other three children who are still going to school are also reportedly struggling to get fees. They get periodic assistance from some family members.

A source close to the development said Allan is staying with the three children in Tynwald but has been neglecting them. Briam was divorced when he died and his ex-wife had taken custody of their young children until she got married and brought them back to the Chimbetus.

"Things turned nasty when one of Briam's big daughters, Isabel, confronted Allan over the issue. She was not amused that her brothers and sisters were suffering when their father had good investments that could sustain them," said the source.

"Isabel asked why Allan had evicted a tenant from the Tynwald house to bring in his second wife when rentals from the house could have been benefiting the children. There was a serious argument and Isabel was actually beaten over the issue.

Allan has the support of one of his sisters who said Isabel cannot challenge the issue now.

"They said Isabel wants to control Briam's estate because she has separated with her husband and wants to selfishly gain from the houses," said the source.

Isabel refused to comment on the issue saying it was a sensitive family issue. Efforts to get comments from older children also failed as they said it was an issue before family elders.

However, Allan confirmed that he has been managing Briam's houses and has moved into the Tynwald property.

"Whoever gave you that information has an evil agenda. I have been controlling everything in a good way and the children are benefitting," said Allan.

"I moved into the Tynwald house because I had to take care of Briam's children when their mother brought them back. I could not take them to Kuwadzana to my first wife because there were some issues that needed to be ironed out. I had to bring my second wife and children to Tynwald because all these children need my attention and they also need motherly love.

"Before Briam died, he told me to take care of his family and I am doing exactly that. The other girl could not write her examinations because she was living with her mother. We had difficulties in paying fees for one of the children because he was going to an expensive school and we had to transfer him."

Allan said he had taken care of Briam when he was ill and there was no way he could mistreat his children. He said he is doing everything as a responsible father.

"The only problem is that one of the children wants to badly influence others. All was well before she left her husband to come back. She is conniving with some family members to cause problems but I cannot say everything to the media. All I can say is that I am playing my role well."

While Allan says he has taken care of Briam's first son Solomon who sat for his O'Level examinations last year, our source revealed that the 17-year-old boy is living at Simon's house in Mabelreign and has been getting assistance from Suluman.

Suluman confirmed Solomon is staying in Mabelreign but refused to comment on the matter claiming that all is well in the family.

Our source said Briam's children have approached their aunt to help them evict Allan from Tynwald and also take control of the Kuwadzana Extension house.