Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – A man has won the right to receive monthly maintenance money from his ex-wife after successfully arguing his case in the Mwenezi Civil Court.
When the case first reached the courts late last year, Chamunorwa Zhiradzago, who resides at Rutenga growth point, was claiming a monthly maintenance of US$150 from his wife Sithokozile Chikunguri.
Magistrate Honest Musiiwa, however, awarded him a monthly allowance of US$35 from Chikunguri who is a teacher at Mashura Primary School in Mberengwa.
During the court hearing, a teary-eyed Zhiradzago said he was still legally married to Chikunguri and had helped her further her education but she had let him down in return.
“When she was in her final year at college, she began going out of the bedroom to answer some of her phone calls. When I asked for explanations, she would scold me saying it was none of my business.
“She later left home, taking all entire household property with her and I was left with nothing except for the clothes I was wearing on that day. Right now, we have two children together but she does not allow me to see them and I was once severely assaulted when I visited the children,” the tearful Zhiradzago told the court during his initial appearance last year.
He accused his wife of cohabitating with a Mberengwa-based businessman whom he identified as Laison Ndlovu.
Through her defence lawyer, Chikunguri, however, argued that Zhiradzago did not deserve any maintenance benefit since both their children were in her custody.
During the hearing, magistrate Musiiwa made it clear that the issue of rights to receive maintenance was not confined to one gender.local
