Norton MP, Temba Mliswa, has accused the justice system of being duped today, claiming he had paid all of his arrears.
The legislator is accused of not making maintenance payments.
Mliswa informed the court through his attorney that he has covered all of his children’s education expenses.
He sued, and Hellenic Primary School received a total payment of $104 billion.
Cynthia Tendai Mugwira, the complainant, claimed that Mliswa owed the school $1 216 000 in unpaid school fees.
The legislator claimed that he had paid all outstanding school fees and was left puzzled why he was in court.
“As a Member of Parliament, my duty is to make laws. I deny owing the school such an amount,” he said. He further stated that he was wondering where the figures are coming from as he settled all his bills.
Mliswa said he was billed in United States dollars and he paid using the interbank prevailing rate in terms of Statutory Instrument 33/2019 that was gazetted by President Mnangagwa.
“I told the school authority that their rate was not consistent with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe exchange rate,” Mliswa said.
He further told court that after submitting all evidence before the National Prosecuting Authority officials they should have declined to prosecute the matter but on reasons known to them he was in court.
Mliswa said although the children are subject to DNA he is paying their fees as an order of the court.
Responding to a question from prosecutor Ms Mandirasa Chigumira on the age of the children, Mliswa said he does not know since the complainant does not allow him to attend their birthdays.
He said there is no evidence that the school said he refused to pay saying it’s only coming from the complainant.
Mliswa told the court that he cannot be forced to pay a black market rate as it is illegal saying the court cannot sit to deliberate his failure to pay a black market rate in favour of an interbank official rate.
The magistrate invoked sections of the court to allow the State to summon the school representative to testify in the matter.