Man ‘poisoned by wife’ abandons home, sued for maintenance

A MAN from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb has told a court he fled from home after his wife tried to kill him with poison.

He said he was therefore, surprised to receive maintenance summons claiming $460 for the upkeep of his two children.

Witness Masharawata told the maintenance court that he cheated death after his wife Grace Murerwa poisoned him.

Masharawata said he has been maintaining his children ever since they were born.

“This woman is evil and I think her main aim is to kill me. She poisoned me but doctors saved my life and by the time l got discharged from hospital l decided to go and stay somewhere where she could not find me,” he said.

“l have evidence. These files l am carrying show the doctor’s report and all the scars you are seeing are the result of the reaction of the poison,” said Masharawata.

He said he used to call his elder child and arrange secret meetings to give him money for school fees and groceries.

“This woman is very dangerous. She dragged me to court so that she can find my whereabouts and kill me later. When we were outside the court, she threatened to hire thugs to kill me,” he said.

Bulawayo magistrate Mr Manasa Musiiwa said the maintenance court deals with financial contribution towards the upkeep of children and ordered Masharawata to talk about something that was related to that.

Masharawata said he could afford $70 for one minor child and the other one is now over 18years old.

Ms Murerwa interjected and said the money was too little for the upkeep of their two children and the over aged one is still dependant.

“$70 is too little, can you make it $460 because you vanished in the thin air and we need money to pay rent,” she said.

Mr Musiiwa ordered Masharawata to pay $50 per month for the upkeep of one minor child. He said his other child can make his own application. -@cynthiamthembo1