News / National
Cop arrested for maintenance default
25 Apr 2019 at 02:53hrs | Views
A COP has appeared in court in Gwanda over non-payment of maintenance for his child.
Bryson Kamanga (28) who is based at Nyazura Police Station was ordered to pay $90 maintenance for his minor child in 2016 but defaulted for four months from November 2018 to February this year resulting in arrears of $360.
Kamanga later paid $140 leaving a shortfall of $220.
He was convicted on his plea of guilty to failure to comply with a maintenance order by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi.
Kamanga was ordered to pay $220 on or before April 26 or spend three months in prison if he defaults.
In mitigation, Kamanga said during the time that he defaulted payment he was going through financial challenges caused by the prevailing economic challenges.
He begged the court to give him time to clear his arrears.
In passing the sentence, Miss Nyathi told Kamanga that it was the duty of a parent to provide for his children at all times, even during financial difficulties.
"Going through financial challenges is no excuse for defaulting paying maintenance as it's your duty as a parent to provide for your children. During the time that you were not paying maintenance where did you expect your child to get food and other supplies from? As a parent you were supposed to find legal means of getting money instead of breaking the law," she said.
"You are a police officer and you knew very well that by defaulting you were committing an offence which can't go unpunished."
Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said Kamanga was ordered at the Gwanda Civil Court in September 2016 to pay $90 per month to Miss Clarisa Mwale of Blanket Mine towards the upkeep of his minor child.
He said Kamanga defaulted paying from November 2018 to February 2019.
"On 27 February Kamanga paid $140 towards maintenance of his child leaving arrears of $220. Miss Mwale reported the matter to the police resulting in Kamanga's arrest," he said.
Bryson Kamanga (28) who is based at Nyazura Police Station was ordered to pay $90 maintenance for his minor child in 2016 but defaulted for four months from November 2018 to February this year resulting in arrears of $360.
Kamanga later paid $140 leaving a shortfall of $220.
He was convicted on his plea of guilty to failure to comply with a maintenance order by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi.
Kamanga was ordered to pay $220 on or before April 26 or spend three months in prison if he defaults.
In mitigation, Kamanga said during the time that he defaulted payment he was going through financial challenges caused by the prevailing economic challenges.
He begged the court to give him time to clear his arrears.
In passing the sentence, Miss Nyathi told Kamanga that it was the duty of a parent to provide for his children at all times, even during financial difficulties.
"Going through financial challenges is no excuse for defaulting paying maintenance as it's your duty as a parent to provide for your children. During the time that you were not paying maintenance where did you expect your child to get food and other supplies from? As a parent you were supposed to find legal means of getting money instead of breaking the law," she said.
"You are a police officer and you knew very well that by defaulting you were committing an offence which can't go unpunished."
Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said Kamanga was ordered at the Gwanda Civil Court in September 2016 to pay $90 per month to Miss Clarisa Mwale of Blanket Mine towards the upkeep of his minor child.
He said Kamanga defaulted paying from November 2018 to February 2019.
"On 27 February Kamanga paid $140 towards maintenance of his child leaving arrears of $220. Miss Mwale reported the matter to the police resulting in Kamanga's arrest," he said.
Source - chronicle
