A MUTARE man received the shock of his life when he found via text message that his wife's lover was the father of the couple's second child.
After the finding, Tavonga Kawura packed his belongings and stormed out of his matrimonial house.
Brenda Chitera was forced to approach the Mutare Civil Court to seek support for her first child due to the strain of providing for the children on her alone. Mr Xavier Chipato, the magistrate in Mutare, heard Kawura testify that he discovered the second child's paternity through a text message on Chitera's phone.
Chitera was appealing with her lover, only named as Gono, in the text message to take his child and introduce him to his real family.
Chitera requested a monthly payment of US$100 from Kawura in her maintenance application.
However, Kawura stated that the sum was too high for him because he earns $92 000 per month.
He stated that he is willing to pay for the child's educational expenditures, while she also provides for the child's other requirements because maintenance is shared by both parents.
Kawura said Gono should also chip in and take care of his child.
“I am still bitter over Chitera’s great betrayal. How could she have an affair and be impregnated by her lover? I had to pay for the preparation and medical expenses for someone else’s child. I only found out in April when the child was eight months old that she is not my daughter,” he said.
Kawura added: “I am still trying to get to terms with this. I left my matrimonial home with nothing but shame.”
He said Chitera applied for maintenance after being deserted by Gono.
In response, Chitera said the child’s needs should always come first no matter what happened.
She said they should equally contribute towards the child’s well-being.
She negotiated for US$60, but Kawura would not budge.
“The person staying with a child incurs more expenses. I also have the other child to look after and the burden is way beyond me. He only has one child and is not married,” said Chitera.
