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Ivan Zhakata Court Reporter
A Rural Electrification Agency (REA) employee was yesterday taken to the Harare Civil Court by his wife who is demanding $300 for the upkeep of their minor child. Macmillan Taurai allegedly neglected his one-year-old son right from birth. His wife, Priscilla Muyengwa, told magistrate Mr Trevor Nyatsanza that Taurai abandoned her when she was pregnant and became evasive after she gave birth to the child.

“I want $300 for our child who is one-year eight months old,” Muyengwa said. “Macmillan works at REA and earns $550 per month. He does not have any family or dependants, so he is able to foot the bill. “The money will cater for the child’s basic needs among them food, shelter, clothing and medicals,” she said.

Taurai offered $50 and told the court that he was a contract worker at REA and his contract was terminated in September last year, before tendering his contract. “I cannot give her $300. It is too much because I am no longer employed,” he said.

However, Mr Nyatsanza told Taurai that his documents only showed the duration of his contract but did not indicate whether it was terminated or renewed.

Muyengwa then produced a letter from the REA human resources manager confirming that Taurai was still employed by the company. Taurai, however, contested the $550 salary alleged by Muyengwa and told the court that he earned $270 per month.

Mr Nyatsanza then ordered Taurai to pay $60 per month for the upkeep of his minor child.