The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
IN an incident that has left tongues wagging a Gweru woman allegedly claimed maintenance from two men for the upkeep of her 13-year-old daughter, allegedly defrauding the two of more than $8 000.
It is understood that Ottilia Mushipe (34) of 2613 Mkoba Village 7 in Gweru allegedly claimed maintenance from Siyapi Sindiso of Mkoba Village 10 and Ezekiel Chifamba amounting to more than $8 000 for the upkeep of her daughter whom she allegedly sired with one Tawanda Muchinani. The daughter is alleged to be doing Form One at a local school.
Mushipe was on Wednesday evening arrested by police after Chifamba and Sindiso realised they were both paying maintenance for the upkeep of the same child and approached the police who investigated the matter leading to the arrest of the accused.
It was during police investigations that Muchinani claimed that the child was his and challenged Chifamba and Sindiso to go for paternity tests. Mushipe was supposed to appear before the Gweru Court but the matter was referred back to police for paternity tests.
It is the State’s case that on March 21, 2016 Mushipe went to Gweru Magistrate Civil Court where she claimed maintenance for the upkeep of her daughter from Sindiso in the pretext that he was the father of the child.
The court ordered Sindiso to pay $50 monthly for the upkeep of the daughter to which he complied.
In July last year the accused approached the same court seeking an upward variation to $100 from $50 and was granted and Sindiso complied.
In December 2016 the accused again approached the civil court seeking an upward review to $300 from $ 100 which was again granted and Sindiso complied.
The amount was however, reviewed downwards to $100 in April this year.
The matter came to light last month when Sindiso realised that Chifamba was paying maintenance for the same child and was at one time arrested for defaulting money amounting to $4 000.
The matter was reported to police leading to Mushipe’s arrest. Chifamba was paying $170 a month for the upkeep of the child.
