Wednesday 17 October 2018

MOHADI FACES $13K MAINTENANCE CLAIM


VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has been dragged to court by his estranged wife, Tambudzani, who is demanding $13 394 per month in spousal maintenance.

The two political heavyweights are already embroiled in a nasty divorce case and allegations of adultery which are still before the courts.

Through her lawyers, Messrs Scanlen and Holderness, Tambudzani, who is also Beitbridge Senator, filed a court application on Monday this week and the matter is yet to be set down for hearing.

In her founding affidavit, she said she was still married to the Vice-President in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11, which still subsists, and she is the only surviving spouse despite a pending divorce case at the High Court.

Tambudzani said while she was staying together with Mohadi before their marriage hit hard times, the couple purchased various businesses which were now under the VP’s control and she was now surviving on a minimal allowance from her position as a senator.

“The respondent (Mohadi) is the Vice-President of Zimbabwe and a businessman who directly controls the parties’ joint estate. The joint estate includes private companies, trusts, ventures and farms. Furthermore, as the VP, the respondent is entitled to various spousal benefits, which the applicant is currently not enjoying despite being the only surviving spouse of the respondent,” Tambudzani said.

“The spousal benefits include transport allowances, fuel allowances, driver and security detail. The applicant (Tambudzani) and the respondent have always maintained a relatively high standard of living due to their high earning capacity. The parties have always maintained two homes with domestic servants, gardeners and security details in Harare and Beitbridge.”

Tambudzani said it was just and equitable for her to be awarded the sum of $13 394 per month as maintenance, which would enable her to enjoy and maintain a standard of living reasonably comparable to the standard of living she used to enjoy while living with Mohadi.

“Although the applicant has filed a plea and counterclaim (in the divorce matter), the further particulars are yet to be received and applicant is yet to replicate the pleadings. Consequently, the pleadings have not yet closed,” she said.

“It is just and equitable and in the interest of justice that the respondent pays maintenance pendent lite and contribute towards the applicant’s legal costs to enable the applicant to prosecute the pending divorce proceedings.”

Last month, Tambudzani petitioned the High Court seeking $1,5 million adultery damages from Mohadi’s alleged current girlfriend, Juliet Mutavhatsindi, arguing she was still the VP’s legal spouse.

According to the court papers in the divorce matter, Mohadi said he married Tambudzani sometime in 1981 and during the said period, they lived together before separating in 1999.

In a separate, but related matter early last month, Mohadi was granted a protection order by a Harare magistrate, barring Tambudzani from issuing threatening messages and influencing the couple’s children to turn against him.

In terms of the court order, Tambudzani was also barred, together with her children, from selling the couple’s matrimonial property before finalisation of the pending divorce matter. Newsday

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