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Tinashe Chanakira and Nothando Bhebe

Thubelihle Mabhena Court Reporter
A MPILO Central Hospital radiographer who claimed that he was forced to pay lobola for a 21-year-old university student he impregnated, has been ordered to pay spousal support as the magistrate concluded that the two were customarily married.

Tinashe Chanakira of Montrose suburb in Bulawayo is legally married to Nothando Bhebe, 28, whom he wed at the Bulawayo Civil Court.

He impregnated and paid lobola for Sekai Doreen Musarurwa of North End on September 27, last year in the presence of family members at Manyame Park suburb, Chitungwiza.

Last month, he claimed in court that he was forced by Musarurwa’s family to pay lobola for her when he approached the family intending to pay damages after impregnating the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) student, who has a month old baby.

He had initially offered $100 as maintenance for the child, but declined to pay spousal support for Musarurwa stating that he was already married to Bhebe.

However, Bulawayo provincial magistrate Sheunesu Matova yesterday ruled that since Chanakira paid some money as part of Musarurwa’s lobola, he was deemed customarily married to her.

He ordered Chanakira to pay $250 a month to Musarurwa as spousal maintenance until her death, divorce or when she remarries.

Chanakira will also pay $200 for the upkeep of their month old baby until she reaches 18-years-old.

“The court is of the view that if Chanakira and his team didn’t intend to pay lobola, they shouldn’t have participated in the ceremony held at Musarurwa’s residence at Manyame Park, Chitungwiza on September 27, last year,” said Matova.

Musarurwa told the court that Chanakira paid lobola after she fell pregnant, but abandoned the new family following the birth of their child.