Man denies paternity of 7 kids

By Adoration Bizure

HARARE – An erstwhile couple is embroiled in a maintenance dispute and messy details have emerged in this battle. The man Patrick Chiwara openly denied paternity of all the seven children he sired with Chiedza Chingozho.

Patrick argues that Chiedza once told him that their second eldest daughter was not his biological child. She went on to deny Patrick dues from lobola payment on her (second child) marriage, the court heard.

“I now doubt if I am the father of the seven children that this woman gave birth too when I stayed with her because of what she confessed to me.

“When the second child was married I did not get a single cent because she told me that I was not the father of the child and she spent the money with another man,” said Patrick.

He added even though his marriage with Chiedza had collapsed he was still looking after her.

“Like I said, we divorced but I have never stopped doing my duties as a father, I bought a stand in Stoneridge and that is where she is currently staying,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chiedza told the court that Patrick is the first men she slept with.

“I got married when I was thirteen years old and he is the only man who I have ever slept with, so for him to deny paternity of the children is an insult t me.

“I want him to give me the US$410 so that I pay school fees for all the children and to buy all the necessities needed by the kids, I know he is in a position to pay that amount because he works at a hardware owned by a wealthy Chinese national and he earns more than US$600 per month,” said Chiedza.

Magistrate Vongai Muchuchutu, who presided over the case, deferred her ruling.