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Fungai Jachi Court Correspondent
A teenage father risks a two-month prison term if he fails to pay maintenance for his minor child, the Civil Court heard yesterday. Stewart Mpalume (19) was sternly warned by Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe that failure to pay his arrears of $250 by November 30 would result in his incarceration.

“You are the one who rushed into having a child so you should take responsibility for your actions,” he said.

Mpalume told the court that he was an Ordinary Level student who was not capable of taking care of the child he sired with his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend.

The court heard that Mpalume was ordered to pay $50 per month for the upkeep of his minor child with Rumbidzai Mashingaidze with effect from June 30 this year.

However, from June to October Mpalume failed to pay the money and as a result his arrears rose to $250.

He was arrested after Mashingaidze reported the matter to the police.

Meanwhile, a Govera Primary School teacher, John Kufandirori (49) also risks going to prison for failing to pay school fees for his two minor children.

Kufandirori defaulted to pay school fees for his children for eight terms and is in arrears of $1 090.

Appearing before the same magistrate, Kufandirori was sentenced to a three-month wholly suspended sentence on condition he pays his arrears by November 30 this year.

Mr Mahwe said it was the duty of the courts to induce maintenance defaulters to pay the money, because failure to do so would result in the suffering of the children.

Kufandirori was ordered to pay $440 per term in school fees for his two minor children.

He, however, failed to pay for eight terms.

His ex-wife reported the matter to police leading to his arrest.

Ms Francisca Mukumbiri prosecuted.