The ManicaPost
Blessing Rwizi Weekender Correspondent
grandmother appeared before Mutare Civil Court on Monday seeking guardianship of her late daughter’s child.
Roniya Mbiro, a pensioner from Ngaone appeared before Miss Nyasha Kuture seeking guardianship of her nine-year-old granddaughter.
She had dragged Tembani Chigariso to court.
The court heard that Chigariso is a brother to the nine-year-old girl’s father who works in Namibia as a teacher.
The court heard that Mbiro intended to divert all the funds meant for the child’s upkeep to herself, since she had no other sources of income.
“Our in-law is being inconsiderate of a number of aspects favourable to the child’s welfare. Surprisingly my brother sired three children with her late daughter, but she is only after one child which leaves us with a lot of questions. She is only being greedy since she has no source of income. She wants to divert her late daughter and my own brother’s funds meant for the children’s upkeep to her pocket.
“Moreover, it is clear that natural custodianship passed from the children’s later mother to their surviving biological father. Our in-law should have therefore cited my fellow brother as the respondent in this case,” said Chigariso.
Mbiro told the court that regardless of the child being given good care by her father, she is still too young and she simply wants to stay with her.
“No-one else can take care of my late daughter’s child no matter how good they are to her. I stayed with this child when she was young and now that her mother is not there I want her. She is still young and I am not worried about the other two who are in boarding school,” said Mbiro.
Miss Kuture told the two parties to wait for probation officers to carry out assessments and come back for her ruling on April 7.
