The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
A GWERU woman who recently came under spotlight for claiming maintenance from three men for the upkeep of her 13-year-old daughter and defrauding them of more than US$8 000 is now on the run.
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 US$8 000 for the upkeep of her daughter whom she allegedly sired with one Tawanda Muchinani.
The daughter is allegedly doing Form Three at a local school.
Mushipe was then arrested after Chifamba and Sindiso realised that they were both paying maintenance for the upkeep of the same child and approached the police who investigated the matter leading to her arrest.
It was during police investigations that Muchinani claimed that the child was his and challenged Chifamba and wtests.
Mushipe was supposed to appear before the Gweru Magistrate’s Court but the matter was referred back to police for paternity tests.
However, paternity tests proved that neither Chifamba nor Sindiso had fathered the girl and Mushipe was ordered to recompense the US$8 000.
Mushipe, however, failed to show up for court and is now on the run after the court issued a warrant of arrest against her.
It is the State’s case that on 21 March, 2016 Mushipe went to the Gweru Magistrate Civil Court where she claimed maintenance for the upkeep of her daughter from Sindiso under the pretext that he was the father of the girl.
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 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 the police leading to Mushipe’s arrest.
Chifamba was paying $170 for the upkeep of the child.
