A 37-YEAR-OLD man, Thompson Matenda, was on Monday ordered to clear his $5 800 child maintenance arrears by December 14 this year or risk a six-month jail term.
VIMBAI MARUFU OWN CORRESPONDENT
Matenda, of Damofalls, had told Chitungwiza magistrate Donald Ndirowei that he had been away in Mozambique since 2011 and was not aware of the maintenance order.
“I deny the charge because I was away in Mozambique where I was a fitness trainer for a football team since January 2011.
“I returned later that year and sometime in 2012 and was paying fees and buying food for the children, but I only learnt that there were outstanding arrears and a warrant for my arrest in April this year yet I was not even around when that court order was granted,” he said.
Prosecutor Pauline Chamunorwa told the court that on August 30 2011, at Chitungwiza Magistrate’s Court, Matenda was ordered to pay $200 to his ex-wife Tabeth Kamumvuri (37) and their two minor children with effect from September 30 2011.
Matenda defaulted in paying the money from that time until April this year, prompting his ex-wife to make a police report.
