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Court Correspondent

A HARARE maid has dragged her boyfriend before the Harare Civil Court, demanding $15 000 for the upkeep of their three-year-old son.

Tracy Moyo yesterday told magistrate Nyasha Marufu that her boyfriend Maxwell Mushandike was neglecting their child.

Moyo told the court that Mushandike is a farmer who owned a farm in Marondera and was into a thriving market gardening.

She said Mushandike as a farmer was able to pay $15 000 for the upkeep of their child as he gets a lot of money every farming season.

Moyo told the court that she was employed as a house maid and was struggling to make ends meet for the upkeep of their minor child, whilst Mushandike was living lavishly.

“I want $15 000 for one child aged three years,” she said. “I am a house maid and I earn $1 500. Maxwell is a farmer. I am not sure of his earnings, but he gets a lot of money from farming. He is a vegetable farmer and he has a farm in Marondera.”

Mushandike offered $800, before telling the court that he was unemployed and stayed at his parents’ farm.

He told the court that he was under the care of his parents and could not afford the money being demanded by Moyo.

“I can only give her $800,” he said. “I do not work. I’m still under my fathers care. She is lying that I do vegetable gardening because where I stay, it is a rural resettlement and I have no money for commercial farming.”

Mrs Marufu ordered Mushandike to pay $800 for the upkeep of their child with effect from November 30.