HARARE - Leo Kurauzvione, the former Dynamos Football Club captain, was yesterday dragged to court by his estranged wife Primrose Muchiriri for defaulting on child support.
Kurauzvione pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei and was ordered to pay arrears amounting to $200 by March 10, or face four months imprisonment.
Ndirowei considered that Kurauzvione was a first time offender who did not waste the court’s time by pleading guilty.
He also noted that Kurauzvione’s failure to comply with the court order was contemptuous, adding that a wholly suspended prison sentence on condition the arrears are cleared, would settle the offence.
Prosecutor Fransisca Mukumbiri urged the courts to consider the welfare of the child in giving a reasonable sentence.
Kurauzvione had pleaded with the court to give him a month to look for the money.
“I am married with three children and not employed at the moment. I have not found any form of job since the beginning of this year,” he said.
“I am a footballer and usually get employment around this time of the year. I don’t have money on me or any other savings and plead with the court to give me a month to go and raise the money.”
Kurauzvione told the court that he had given his ex-wife $60 and agreed to settle the rest.
“I gave her $60 and agreed to settle the rest. Unfortunately, I don’t have evidence to prove that.”
Mukumbiri proved that on August 29 last year, Kurauzvione was ordered by a Harare Civil Court to pay $40 monthly maintenance for the upkeep of his child.
Kurauzvione did not pay the money from September 31 last year to January this year.