MultiChoice employee Brightwell Manyerenyere could spend 12 months behind bars unless he clears US$22,820 in unpaid support for his two children. A court in Harare found the 44-year-old guilty of failing to meet his financial duties, leaving his former wife, Sharon Vongayi Gapare, 38, to deal with the shortfall.
The debt, worth about R408,000, came from a High Court ruling that set out what Manyerenyere had to pay. Each child was meant to receive US$120 per month, or roughly R2,150, along with help for other basic needs.
And the court order went well beyond cash payments. Manyerenyere also had to provide 30 liters of fuel each month, cover half the costs of school, and pay 60% of what the children needed for groceries and clothes.
But prosecutors said he had failed to keep up with those duties over an extended period. Unpaid school bills were part of the case as well, with the total arrears reaching nearly US$23,000.
Prosecutor Essel Zinhiva laid out the payment history during the hearing. The court heard that Manyerenyere had not met several terms of the original order, which left a substantial amount due to Gapare.
The magistrate handed down a one-year prison term but gave Manyerenyere a chance to avoid serving it. His sentence remains suspended as long as he meets the court's conditions, which require good behavior and full repayment of the arrears.
That means his freedom depends on whether he pays what he owes within the period set by the court. If he fails to clear the balance, the suspended jail term could take effect.
The debt, worth about R408,000, came from a High Court ruling that set out what Manyerenyere had to pay. Each child was meant to receive US$120 per month, or roughly R2,150, along with help for other basic needs.
And the court order went well beyond cash payments. Manyerenyere also had to provide 30 liters of fuel each month, cover half the costs of school, and pay 60% of what the children needed for groceries and clothes.
But prosecutors said he had failed to keep up with those duties over an extended period. Unpaid school bills were part of the case as well, with the total arrears reaching nearly US$23,000.
Prosecutor Essel Zinhiva laid out the payment history during the hearing. The court heard that Manyerenyere had not met several terms of the original order, which left a substantial amount due to Gapare.
The magistrate handed down a one-year prison term but gave Manyerenyere a chance to avoid serving it. His sentence remains suspended as long as he meets the court's conditions, which require good behavior and full repayment of the arrears.
That means his freedom depends on whether he pays what he owes within the period set by the court. If he fails to clear the balance, the suspended jail term could take effect.
