A Gweru woman who claimed maintenance for one child from two different men, was recently arrested for fraud when the case was discovered.
A paternity test then ordered by Gweru Magistrate Pathekile Msipa on the 13-year-old daughter late last year and whose results were opened on Tuesday proved that neither of the men Sindiso Siyapi (38) nor Ezekiel Chifamba (38) is the biological father although they had paid maintenance for at least three years each.
Siyapi, a clerk at CMED in Gweru has been paying $300 a month in maintenance after his obligation was reviewed by the courts three times from $50 to $100 and then to $300 currently and Chifamba, a Gokwe based welder was paying $50.
Othilia Mushipe (34) of Mkoba 17 skipped court on Tuesday and has since been issued with a warrant of arrest for two counts of fraud involving $4 200 for both men.
Police went to her place several times but could not find her. It is the State case that Chifamba and Mushipe once lived together as a married couple between 2003 and 2012 and then got divorced. In August 2013 Mushipe claimed maintenance and was granted $50.
While receiving maintenance from Chifamba, Mushipe also filed maintenance claims against Siyapi in March 2016 and she was granted $50. In July 2016 she applied for a review to $100 and it was granted and in November of the same year she reapplied again for a review to $300 which was granted to her. However, in August 2017 Chifamba got wind that Siyapi was also paying maintenance for the same child. He made efforts and located Siyapi and the two made a Police report leading to the arrest of Mushipe.
The accused was dragged to court, and DNA tests were done to see who should continue paying maintenance but the results were negative for both men
