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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
FBC Bank in Victoria Falls has filed for civil imprisonment against a former tour consultant after she failed to repay a loan of about $8,000. Nyasha Chimidzi of Mkhosana and a former consultant at People’s Link applied for $ 2,300 from the bank in 2012 to take care of two orphans she adopted, the court heard.

She was dragged to the civil court in Victoria Falls after the debt ballooned to $7,855, the applicant’s lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company told a Victoria Falls court.

Representing the bank, Nkala said Chimidzi, 35, had lied about the orphans, aged eight and 10, and also accused her of living with the children illegally.

He said she only paid $91 despite agreeing to repay the loan in instalments of $200 per month, resulting in the debt rising to $7,855.

“The respondent took a loan in 2012. She undertook to pay back in instalments of $200 per month for two months and raise the money to $250 thereafter starting in September 2012. In April 2013 a default judgment was passed against her where a warrant of execution was issued but only $91 was realised out of that,” Nkala told magistrate Sharon Rosemani.

He said her debt was now $7,855 including interest and costs of suit.

The lawyer accused Chimidzi of lying to the court about her financial status saying she could not have taken in orphans who were strangers to her if she was a person of no means. “It’s either you’re lying that you aren’t working or somebody is paying for those orphans. Why didn’t you take those orphans to a cheaper school? After all it’s illegal for you to live with children without legal obligation,” said Nkala.

This was after Chimidzi, a divorced mother of three minors, offered to pay $50 per month. “It’s not true that I own a house and a car. I work in a kitchen and earn $150 per month. I have three children and take care of two orphans. I took them to an expensive school because I didn’t want them to feel neglected because my children were going to a good school,” said Chimidzi.

Chimidzi said she applied for the loan when she was still married to Simelinkosi Ncube, a tour guide driver , but they divorced in 2012.

“I didn’t apply for the money to take care of the children but we wanted to boost our business with my former husband. When we divorced he took the shop and I struggled with the children.

“I took these orphans after visiting Monde area when I was still working for People’s Link and sympathised with their situation as their grandmother was abusing them. Villagers urged me to take them in when I showed interest,” Chimidzi said.

She said she was working on acquiring birth certificates for the two girls.

Magistrate Rosemani ordered Chimidzi to pay $70 per month for three months starting next month after which the instalment would be raised to $100 per month until the debt is cleared.