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Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Harare Bureau
The circus between Alick Macheso and his estranged second wife Fortunate Tafadzwa Mapako took a twist yesterday when it emerged that the artiste had not booked for the blood tests to determine the paternity of their two children at the National Blood Services Zimbabwe.According to earlier reports Macheso, his estranged wife and their two children were due for paternity tests yesterday but failed as Macheso’s lawyer had not done the necessary paper work.

Norman Mugiya of Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers made the booking and consequently paid the fees for the tests yesterday.
An official from the NBSZ confirmed that no booking had yet been made.

“No! There wasn’t any booking made regarding the two,” she said.
She said the NBSZ only conducts paternity tests at the request of a lawyer or the courts.

“We do not communicate with individuals but we go through the courts or the lawyers.”
She said about $350 is needed for the paternity tests plus another R1,050 to be deposited into a South Africa account where the tests are done. The amount is only for one individual.

Macheso needs to pay $1,400 for himself, the children as well as for Tafadzwa and then another R4,200 to South Africa.
“We have paid the money now so we will wait to be advised on the date of the tests. They have been playing mind games,” Mugiya said.

Asked why they had not booked earlier, Mugiya said it was a process and that Tafadzwa had not been cooperating.
“I communicated with her lawyers and I advised them that we were going to be 15 minutes late.

“What they need are birth certificates and their IDs. I cannot bring Tafadzwa’s ID,” Mugiya said.
Contrary to claims that Tafadzwa had skipped the tests on two occasions, yesterday she brought her two children.

Tafadzwa who was accompanied by her lawyers, Gift Nyandoro and David Ngwerume of Hamunakwadi, Nyandoro and Nyambuya law firm, arrived at the NBSZ first but had to leave after Macheso and his team failed to turn up.

“They wrote a letter to us clearly indicating that it was urgent and we complied by arriving here first but guess what, they are not here,” Nyandoro said.

He also said they were still to receive gupuro (divorce token) from Macheso.
Macheso was ordered to pay $1,030 as monthly maintenance fees for the upkeep of his children.