Wife drags baby mama to court, demands DNA
MBABANE - After the death of her husband, a second wife dragged a ‘baby mama’ to court, compelling her to produce a child she claimed to be fathered by her husband, for a paternity test.
The wife went to the extent of offering to pay for the paternity test costs and further support the child if he really belonged to her husband.
However, Susan’s wish has been met with resistance as the child’s mother *Siphiwe has openly refused to produce the minor for the paternity test.
In her papers filed at the Mbabane Magistrates Court, *Susan stated that she resorted to the legal route after *Siphiwe had refused to have the child undergo the DNA test with a suggested brother to the deceased.
She stated that the respondent refused after she had tried to engage her with her family and attorneys.
Susan stated that she wanted the paternity test to clear the air as the child’s paternity was disputed.
She said now that Siphiwe had refused to have her child tested with the husband’s bother, she wanted the child to be tested with her husband’s firstborn son.
She submitted that she believed that the results would indicate whether or not the children were related, since they shared the same father.
“I wish to submit that the paternity test will remove any doubt in myself and family (including my in-laws). I wish to submit that my husband left me at the matrimonial home as a surviving spouse. I wish to assist the children in their upbringing. I do not intend to watch the children struggle in life, while I am still alive,” she said.
She added that she could not assist the child if the paternity was uncertain. She stated that the paternity test would also help the child in knowing who his real father was. She said there was no prejudice to be suffered by anyone in the event that the paternity test was conducted.
Susan submitted that she wanted to avoid a situation whereby the child would be rejected by her in-laws and herself.
She filed the application after she had received information from the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF), to the effect that Siphiwe’s child was among the beneficiaries of her husband’s estate.
She stated in her papers that the paternity test would help the child benefit from the estate.
Requested
She stated that she requested leave from the PSPF Board, so that she could conduct the paternity test before the distribution of the estate, so that all the children of the deceased could benefit.
However, in his affidavit, *Sidumo (the deceased’s brother) confirmed having received the child when he was first brought to his family by Siphiwe. He stated that his deceased brother directed him not to admit anything as far as the paternity of the child was concerned. He stated that the child’s paternity test was so crucial in the circumstance.
The first wife to the deceased also deposed to an affidavit, where she stated that she did not have any qualms about having any of her minors take part in the paternity test with Siphiwe’s child.
* Not real names