Suluman off the hook…. briefly arrested over maintenance arrears

By Farayi Machamire

Dendera musician Suluman Chimbetu, who was briefly arrested early this week, is now off the hook after he paid $1 600 to his e-x wife Marygold Mutemasango to settle maintenance arrears.

Chimbetu had been dragged to court by Mutemasango after defaulting on the January and February payments.

Appearing before Harare magistrate Joy Chikodzore yesterday, Mutemasango confirmed that Chimbetu had met his end of the bargain and as such there was no longer any need to go to trial.

Chimbetu, who was represented by Simudzai Machingauta, had been granted bail at the initial hearing on Tuesday.

According to prosecutor Devoted Nyagano, on December 20, last year, Chimbetu was ordered to pay $800 as maintenance towards the upkeep of his two minor children.

The money was supposed to be paid with effect from December 31, 2016 and deposited into Mutemasango’s bank account.

However, Chimbetu only paid maintenance for December and defaulted on the January and February payments.

As a result, Chimbetu was subsequently arrested following issuance of a warrant.

In December last year, Mutemasango caused a stir at Chimbetu’s wedding with Linda Samuriwo after she stormed Zimbali Gardens in Greendale where the dendera artiste was tying the knot with the intention of disrupting the function.

Mutemasango, who is mother to Suluman’s two children, stunned guests at the classy event who included music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi when she insisted that she was still legally-married to the dendera music star under customary law.

Her efforts to stop the wedding ceremony were thwarted by suspected plainclothes policemen who whisked her away from the wedding.

As a result of the fracas, the wedding ceremony, which was scheduled to start at 11am, only got underway three hours later.

The delay saw other high profile guests like Tuku and his wife Daisy leaving  the wedding ceremony prematurely. Daily News