Best friends in paternity fight

IT'S the kind of thing that only happens in movies.

While some men are busy denying paternity, a man from Munyika Village under Chief Mpakwa in Bikita is fighting with his estranged wife's lover-cum-best friend and churchmate who is also claiming to be the biological father of his last child aged five years.

The paternity war started when Godfrey Munhungeyi (25) caught his wife Cecilia Mukwera red-handed engaging in sex with his best friend and churchmate Tawanda Makaya on their matrimonial bed.

And to make matters worse, a panicking Mukwera later confessed to her husband that she started bedding a married Makaya when they had just got married.

Speaking to B-Metro, a heartbroken Munhungeyi who is now demanding compensation in the form of six head of cattle from Makaya said his wife had been a suspect of adultery as he once caught her between the sheets with another man three years ago.

He said what pained him was that Mukwera who had told him that he was not the father of her two children went on to apply for maintenance, in which he was ordered by the court to pay $80 per month despite the fact that he was not employed.

Munhungeyi, even though repeatedly told by Mukwera that he wasn't the father of the children, is arguing that they were still his since he was ordered to pay maintenance for them.

On the other side, Makaya who is also claiming that the second child was his is also reportedly contributing towards his upkeep.

In a bid to apparently upset Munhungeyi, Mukwera took all the matrimonial property to her parents' home after dumping him.

She is now reportedly co-habiting with Makaya and that prompted Munhungeyi to approach Chief Mpakwa demanding six beasts from Makaya as compensation for bedding and later eloping with his wife.

"Problems with my wife started after I caught her red-handed in bed with Makaya. After busting them they both confessed that they began sleeping together when we just got married and that is some eight years ago.

"Just imagine all this time and during my absence they had been sleeping together. Cecilia further confessed that both her children-aged eight and five years - were all not mine. She claimed Makaya was the father of the youngest child while the eldest one belongs to another man who is a police officer," narrated an inconsolable Munhungeyi.

Munhungeyi further said as punishment for exposing her bed-hopping antics, Mukwera left him with a broken leg after she brutally assaulted him with a log.

"While I was admitted to Silverira Mission Hospital, Cecilia (Mukwera) exploited the opportunity when she teamed up with her parents and took all the matrimonial property. She went on to apply for maintenance despite the fact she had told me that the children were not mine.

"This, however, led me to approach Chief Mpakwa while demanding six head of cattle from Makaya as compensation for bedding and eloping with my wife. This is because he is also claiming that the last child is his and to prove that he is maintaining him."

In defence, Makaya reportedly told Munhungeyi that his wife was the one who forced him into the relationship after she coerced him to engage in sex with her. This was after he had reportedly caught her in bed with another man.

"I still love my wife and the children despite pressure from my family that I should leave them. Cecilia's repeated claims that the children were not mine does also not put me off from her and the children," added Munhungeyi.

When reached for comment Mukwera, however, disputed her estranged husband's claims saying he was just bitter that she dumped him.

Makaya could neither confirm nor deny the accusations levelled against him, as he quickly hung up his phone after the reporter told him he was from B-Metro.