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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A HWANGE super dad is paying maintenance for seven children he sired with three different women, including his wife. Collin Tshuma, 44, a driver employed by Zinara and stationed at the Hwange Tollgate stunned the Victoria Falls magistrate’s court yesterday when he told magistrate Sharon Rosemani that he had sired seven children with three different women. He earns $680 per month and pays a total of $515 for the maintenance of the seven children.

Tshuma, who resides in the coal mining town, had three children with his wife, whose children he is maintaining, three with the ex-wife and another one with Lebani Dube, 40, of Mkhosana who had dragged him to court for failing to pay $50 maintenance per month imposed in 2010.

Tshuma defaulted until the arrears accumulated to $500 resulting in Dube dragging him to court.

He told the magistrate that he was overwhelmed as he was paying maintenance for six other children. He also said the other reason why he defaulted was that when he switched from Zimra to Zinara his salary was disturbed.

“I’m also paying maintenance for other children. I pay $265 for three children with my wife, $200 to my ex-wife with whom we had three children. With the complainant we have one child aged four years,” said Tshuma.

The ages of the children were not given.

In May 2013, Tshuma was convicted of failing to pay $1,400 to the same woman.

He was handed a suspended sentence on condition that he paid the outstanding maintenance.

“I had debts which I was being sued for, as a result I struggled to pay the maintenance,” he told the magistrate in his defence.

The magistrate fined him $60. He will spend six weeks in jail if he fails to pay.

The magistrate also sentenced him to six weeks in jail which were wholly suspended on condition that he pays Dube $500 before February, 24.

Dube unsuccessfully tried to save him by withdrawing the charges saying she did not want him to be jailed as he was the father of her child but the magistrate would have none of it.

“I want to withdraw charges because he is the father of my child. I’m not working and we depend on him. I just want him to pay the money because I haven’t paid fees for the child who is doing Grade 1,” said Dube, before she was dismissed by the magistrate.

Tshuma said he would sell a housing stand and use the proceeds to clear the arrears.

Listen Nare prosecuted.