Court Suspends Gweru Man's Child Maintenance Payments Pending DNA Tests
A Gweru man received a reprieve from a Bulawayo magistrate who discharged a maintenance order requiring him to pay for the upkeep of two minor children he allegedly fathered with a former girlfriend.
As reported by the Chronicle, Givemore Shekede had been providing US$350 monthly to Mazvita Chinyoka for the support of their children, aged 12 and 8.
However, court records indicate that Chinyoka has been avoiding paternity tests to confirm whether Shekede is indeed the biological father.
During the hearing on Monday, Presiding Magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe ordered Chinyoka to promptly submit to the tests at the National Blood Services in Harare.
It was noted that she had been notified by the court on two separate occasions but failed to comply. Said Chikwekwe:
Chinyoka was aware of the booking that had been made and she was sent documents by the court. After this was done, the respondent did not file opposing papers.
In her defence, Chinyoka told the court that she did not have money to travel to Harare for the DNA tests.
However, in his judgement, Chikwekwe said Chinyoka is employed by the Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare and is aware of the law but professes ignorance on the matter that directly affects her. Ruled the magistrate:
She said she has no bus fare to go for the DNA tests, which the applicant paid for and are very costly.
The applicant has the right to know or have it proven scientifically that the children are his.
He has played his part by not only paying the monthly maintenance but also travelling from Gweru to Harare.
In light of the above, the baton is passed to the respondent, if she still insists the children are biologically the children of the applicant, she still has the opportunity to initiate the DNA tests as the applicant did.
Accordingly, the maintenance order granted by this court on the 27th of February is hereby discharged, forthwith.
A paternity test is a scientific procedure used to determine whether a specific man is the biological father of a child.
This test typically involves analysing DNA samples from the child, the alleged father, and sometimes the mother.
The test provides a probability of paternity, often reported as a percentage. A probability of 99% or higher typically indicates that the man is the biological father.
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