The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Correspondent
A NYANGA woman was left with egg on the face after it was revealed that she had connived with her sister’s ex-husband to impersonate the former at the Registrar General’s Office to acquire a birth certificate for the divorced couple’s son.
The birth certificate for the 13-year-old child was acquired behind his mother, Emilia Saunyama’s back when the father, Bruce Chigona, misrepresented Saunyama’s young sister, Florence Chapandura, as the biological mother of his child.
The matter was recently revealed at acting Chief Saunyama’s court after the two sisters’ brother, Moreblessing Saunyama, approached the traditional leader’s court seeking Emilia’s dowry from Chigona.
He was demanding five herd of cattle from his former brother-in-law.
“I just want him to tell us why he used Florence to acquire his son’s birth certificate instead of Emilia. Emilia is the child’s mother, but he does not want her name on the document.
“When she gave birth, he kicked her out of his home. He took custody of the child. He denied her access to the child and now he has acquired a birth certificate for the child with my other sister and as a family, we need explanations. We need to know if there is anything going on between the two,” said Moreblessing.
Florence said her hands were clean, before rubbishing claims that she was having an affair with her former brother-in-law.
She said she misrepresented herself as the biological mother of the child as the latter had faced challenges in registering for his Grade Seven examinations without a birth certificate.
“Some people are not grateful. I am now being treated as an outcast, but Emilia begged me to act as the child’s biological mother so that he could acquire a birth certificate.
“Emilia does not have a national identity card as she never had a birth certificate. I came to her rescue and the child managed to sit for his Grade Seven examinations, but now they are turning against me as they want dowry from Chigona,” said Florence.
However, Emilia denied ever asking her sister to stand in for her so that her son could acquire a birth certificate.
She said she was in the process of acquiring her own ID when she heard that Florence had already acquired a birth certificate for her child.
“I think what my sister and my ex-husband want is to strain my relationship with my son. I am a poor woman who does not fit in the class of the kind of mother they want for the child. However whatever it is they are planning will not succeed as I am aware of their plans. I just want my name on my child’s birth certificate,” said Emilia.
After hearing the case, acting Chief Saunyama cited protocol and referred the matter to Nyanga Police Station.
His messengers escorted the two sisters to the police station.
Police in Nyanga said investigations are in progress.
However, on the dowry matter, acting Chief Saunyama ordered Chigona, who was in default, to pay the Saunyamas three cattle.
