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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
A Harare man yesterday denied paternity of his seven-year-old son saying he used to have protected sex with the mother. The man (name withheld)claimed he needed time to go for paternity tests with the child to ascertain whether he was the real father before he started paying maintenance. He had been dragged to the Civil Court by his ex-girlfriend, who was claiming $200 for the child’s upkeep.

“I am in doubt that I am the biological father of that child because I used to have protected sex with his mother throughout,” he said.

The man told magistrate Ms Gamuchirai Siwardi that the $200 was too much for him to contribute since he was married and had two more children.

“I can only afford to pay $20 per month for the child because I have a family which depends on me,” he said.

He said he needed to undergo paternity tests as soon as possible.

The woman had submitted that she used to have unprotected sex with the man at the time she fell pregnant.

“If he wants to go for paternity test, that’s fine with me because I know he is the biological father of that child,” the woman said.

Ms Siwardi ordered the man to contribute $30 per month for his child pending paternity tests.