Paternity tests vindicate man 16 years later

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
A former Masvingo teacher is planning to take legal action against his former lover after she forced him to maintain a child that was not his for 16 years until paternity tests proved otherwise.

Cuthbert Damba (46) of Mucheke suburb, who is now an informal trader after resigning from teaching in 2012, had been maintaining his lover’s son — who is now in Form 3 — since his birth in 2000.

Damba now wants to sue his former lover to recover the money he paid for the upkeep of another man’s child for 16 years.

He is also demanding money from his ex-lover Elizabeth Makamure — a foreign currency dealer — for defamation of character.

The former school teacher won a court reprieve to stop paying maintenance on Tuesday after paternity tests conducted on August 31 this year, proved that he was not the biological father of his ex-lover’s son.

Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Victor Muhammad presided over the case.

Damba also wants to be restituted the $350 he paid for paternity tests.

He wants to be repaid the $1 620 he paid for 27 months since June 2014 until August this year as maintenance for Makamure’s son.

Damba says the courts should determine the amount he should be repaid by Makamure for the maintenance he paid during the Zimbabwe dollar era.

Speaking to The Herald yesterday, the father of two said he was now a relieved man after paternity tests proved that he had not fathered a child with Makamure.

He said what pained him most was that he was paying maintenance for 16 years for a person who he did not know.

“To be honest, I had not seen the boy ever since he was born but this woman (Makamure) made me to maintain him for 16 years. I only saw him on 31 August this year when we went for paternity tests in Harare,’’ he said.

“Now that my name has been cleared in the eyes of my family, I now want her (Makamure) to pay me for defamation of character and also refund me the money I paid to maintain her child since 2000. The court will decide how much she will pay because part of money was paid in the now defunct Zimbabwe dollar.’’

Damba said he will soon approach his lawyers to formally take action against Makamure.

“I was bedridden during the past few days and I am only recovering now but I will soon be engaging my lawyers to take action against Makamure. I want to clear my name and also recover the money I used to maintain her child,’’ he said.

He said he maintained Makamure’s son until 2009 when the country adopted dollarisation and only started paying in greenback in June 2014, until the courts ordered him to stop on Tuesday this week.

“The good thing is that my wife believed what I was saying, so there were no problems in my family because of the maintenance I was paying to Makamure. I insisted on paternity tests because I knew I would be vindicated, I do not sire children outside marriage, that is not in me,’’ Damba explained.

Makamure could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone was barred for incoming calls while she was nowhere to be seen at her workplace near a city motel.

Damba met Makamure in Chivi in 2000 when he was teaching at Tokwe Primary school.

The two dated for three months after which Makamure told his lover that she was pregnant.

The former school teacher developed high blood pressure after Makamure told her about the pregnancy.

Damba became suspicious after Makamure gave birth at a date that was not compatible with the time the pair were in love.

This pushed him to insist on paternity tests which eventually vindicated him 16 years later.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey