Lover forced to register another man's child in his name

A HARARE man yesterday stunned the Civil Court when he denied paternity of his alleged youngest child, claiming his lover forced him to register the tot's birth certificate in his name.

Mathius Nyikadzino made the remarks when he was responding to his long-time lover, Francisca Moirisi's application for maintenance of the couple's two children.

In her application, Moirisi had claimed $100 for each of the children, a figure which did not go down well with Nyikadzino, who denied fathering the other child.

Moirisi told the court she was a vendor earning less than $50 a month and was struggling with the children's upkeep.
In response, Nyikadzino said he could only afford $40 for one child, as
he was not the father of the other one.

"I will maintain one child because the other one is not mine, but this woman forced me into obtaining a birth certificate for her in my name,'' Nyikadzino said.

Nyikadzino went on to plead with the court to consider ordering a lesser amount, saying he was only a gardener, who was also homeless.

"I work as a gardener for a white couple, who picked me from the streets," he said.

Presiding magistrate, Yeukai Nzunda advised Nyikadzino to go for paternity tests to prove that the child was not his.

In the meantime, the court ordered him to pay maintenance for both children pending the DNA results.

"If you don't do the tests, the child will remain yours," the magistrate said.

Moirisi consented to $40 per month maintenance for the two children and the magistrate granted the order.