By Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge 17 February 2011
Prominent Beitbridge Businessman, Bernard Mufokozana has been dragged to court by his estranged wife for failing to maintain their four kids after he allegedly dumped them and went to live with another woman.
Mufokozana is embroiled in a bitter fight with his ex-wife Margret whom he married legally on 2 July 2008 under the Marriage Act Chapter 5:11. The couple is however awaiting the finalization of their divorce case number HC6655/10 which is still pending at the High Court.
In her founding affidavit , Margret who is being represented by Mr. Tawanda Martin Kanengoni alleges that Mufokozana of house 1177 Medium Density suburbs in the border town left their matrimonial home in 2009 and went on to have an adulterous affair with another woman.
She also alleged that they had four children together who were born between 1988 and 2008 and since Bernard operates a trucking business in the border town left them, they have been deprived of the basic needs they had formerly been getting while the couple was still together.
Margret who is not employed added that she has been struggling to support the children further states that since January 2009.
The complainant told the court that she has managed to support the children from the R6000 through rentals she would collect at one of Mufokozana’s house in the same town until January 2010 when the accused decided to collect the rentals himself.
Since then to date he has not paid any cent towards the upkeep of her ex-wife and their children prompting Margret to enlist the services of the Civil Court in November 2010.
Margret is claiming a total of R14000 from Mufokozana arguing that each child needed an average of R2500 for their standard upkeep while she also needs a total of R4000 on monthly basis.
On 30 December last year, Beitbridge magistrate Mrs. Olivia Chiumburu ruled that Mufokozana should pay R3000 for the applicant and R2000 for each child per month in a bank account to be provided by the complainant.
However Mufokozana who is being represented by Ndlovu and Hwacha Legal practitioners appealed for the varying of maintenance on 26 January this year arguing that he could only afford to pay $300 towards the upkeep of his four children and ex-wife.
Mufokozana is denying being a businessman saying he was only employed as a driver and he earns a monthly salary of R3000.
This application was in turn dismissed and to date the man has been in defiant of the court. He now faces prosecution for Criminal contempt of a court order.
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