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Court Correspondent
For claiming he knew nothing about a court order compelling him to pay $700 for the upkeep of his five children, a Tengwa Africa truck driver landed himself in trouble after the arrears accrued to $11 200.

Maxwell Gatsi (46) of Zengeza 2, employed by a South African haulage truck company in Polokwane, told Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Tendai Rusinahama that he knew nothing about the maintenance order.

“I did not at any given time sign the summons served on me. Since the order was granted in default, I was not aware that I was supposed to pay maintenance. The return of service was not signed by me; the document was forged by the police,” he said in his defence.

Gatsi further argued that three of the children are now grown up and t he was in the process of applying for a recession of judgment.

This was despite the granting of an order in favour of Eager Gumbe (39) of Zengeza 2 by Chitungwiza Civil Court magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa on August 29 last year.

The order obliged Gatsi to pay $700 per month effective from the same month for their five children.

As a result, Gatsi failed to pay resulting in arrears accruing to $11 200

He denied charges of contravening Section 23 of the Maintenance Act and was remanded to January 16..

Ms Ntombikayise Nleya prosecuted.