Former Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere has agreed to undergo paternity tests with his son Mangwiza at any laboratory of the latter’s choice in order to put to rest a witchcraft saga which has been dragging before the courts for a long time now. By Jairos Saunyama
The Censorship Board chairperson recently approached the High Court seeking an order to force Mangwiza to go for paternity tests as he doubted fathering him.
This came after Mangwiza had dragged his father and stepmother, Emilia Zharare, from the magistrates’ court up to the Constitutional Court, accusing them of possessing goblins that were allegedly tormenting the family.
In his response to the paternity test call by his father, Mangwiza said he would only undergo the tests at private laboratories and not the National Blood Transfusion Services, as had earlier been suggested by Chigwedere.
Mangwiza said his father was powerful and could allegedly influence the outcome of the results.
According to papers filed at the High Court on October 12, Chigwedere said he had amended the draft order to include the conditions laid down by Mangwiza.
“Upon service of the application on the respondent on July 24, 2017, the respondent filed a notice of opposition. The respondent indicated that he was consenting to the application, but explained the draft order must include some of his terms and conditions, as follows: That he would solely choose two health institutions to conduct the tests, the applicant would pay costs of the tests and that the applicant would cater for respondent’s travel costs,” the papers read.
“I then subsequently filed an answering affidavit and amended draft order to include the conditions that had been laid down by the respondent. I, therefore, believe that respondent and myself have now found common ground and, thus, this matter is not opposed.” According to the papers, Chigwedere wants the issue to be resolved so as to deal with his estate.
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“Among the various reasons that prompted myself to approach the honourable court for such relief is the fact that the respondent’s birth, childhood and adulthood have always been surrounded with various family issues, which always cast suspicion and doubt on whether or not he really is my biological son,” the former minister said.
“Sadly, it has now become critical that the issue be resolved as we both now have competing rights and interests regarding the devolution of my estate in the event of my demise.”
