MAYENGO NYIRENDA, Chipata
A-27-YEAR-OLD man of Chipata, who has been dragged to court by his former lover, has pleaded with the Chipata Local Court not to send him to jail for failure to support his child.
Edward Banda, of Nyawongo village in Chipata, was sued by his lover Laxina Ndhlovu 25, of Magazine township for failure to pay monthly K150 child maintenance; an order which had been discharged by the court.
Banda, who admitted his failure to support his child, begged local court senior magistrate Leonard Nkhata for leniency. He said he was currently going through financial challenges and that was the reason he had failed to meet his obligations.
“I am ready to start paying child maintenance although I am still experiencing financial problems,” Banda said.
But Ndhlovu complained that Banda was an irresponsible man, who was failing to provide for his child by paying her K150 monthly for their child’s upkeep.
Passing judgment, the court, after castigating him for being an irresponsible father, ordered Banda to pay K40. Banda was also ordered to do manual work at the local court for 18 days.