(Last Updated on December 21, 2015 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – A Harare man who initially denied owing his former wife and children of nearly US$34 000 in maintenance arrears yesterday changed his mind and took full responsibility of the arrears at the midst of his trial.
Hurbert Fungai Nyambuya, of No.7 Gaydon Greystone Park, changed his plea and admitted to defaulting in paying maintenance when he appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe.
Nyambuya told the court that he was committed to repaying the debt before and promised to make a first deposit of US$1 000 on December 24 towards the repayment of the arrears.
He was taken to the Harare magistrates’ court by his former lover, Nyarai Bakasa.
She complained to court that Nyambuya defied court orders although he had initially consented to paying the money at some point.
Nyambuya was facing four counts of failure to pay maintenance.
He is expected to return to court on December 24 for sentence.
Circumstances leading to the 45-year-old man’s arrest were that on December 28 2012 he was ordered by consent by the High Court to pay Nyarai US$150 per week towards the purchase of groceries and daily needs for their three minor children.
Nyarai is 40 years old, according to the State.
The State represented by Samantha Dhlamini also had it that Nyambuya failed to pay the money from December 2012 to January 2015 leaving him in arrears of US$7 568.
On December 30 of the same year, he was also ordered by a Harare Civil magistrate to pay to pay US$500 per month towards Nyarai and pay her tuition fees per semester at the university where she was attending during that time.
Nyambuya allegedly failed to pay the money ending up swimming in arrears of US$16 840.
The court heard that on July 9 2013 Nyambuya was ordered to pay outstanding school fees in the sum of US$1 410 and for the three terms of 2013 at St George’s Hartman House for one of his children.
Nyambuya reportedly failed to abide by the court order leaving him with a US$6 307 debt.
On January 29 this year he was ordered by the High Court to pay US$200 per child in respect of two of his children and he allegedly failed to pay from January to October this year.
In total Nyambuya is alleged to have accrued US$34 415 in maintenance arrears.