Top Bulawayo lawyer served with divorce summons

Bulawayo lawyer Blessing Mabusiso Bhala has been served with divorce summons by his estranged wife, Senele, who is demanding custody of their daughter and $300 in monthly maintenance.

In summons filed at the Bulawayo High Court on April 8, Senele Bhala (nee Dhlomo) appealed for a decree of divorce, custody of [name supplied] and an order for both parties to retain ownership of property under their possession.

"An order for custody of the minor child, [name supplied] a minor girl born on [date supplied], 2013 be awarded to the plaintiff, subject to the defendant's rights of reasonable access upon prior consultation with the plaintiff, if anything on alternative weekends and school holidays," the shortened summons read in part.

"An order that the defendant pays maintenance of the aforesaid minor child in the sum of $300 every month until the minor child turns the age of 18 or becomes self-supporting, whichever shall occur first. An order that each party retains his or her sole and absolute all the property in his/her possession at the time of issuing the summons."

Dhlomo, who is represented by Ncube and Partners Legal Practitioners, pleaded for an order for her husband to pay the costs of the suit.

The summons did not cite the reasons for divorce.