Andy Brown in court for child maintenance

Andy Brown

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VETERAN musician Andy Brown has been accused of neglecting his son born out of wedlock. Brown was hauled before the Harare civil court by his estranged lover Fidela Fazilahmed over a maintenance dispute.

Fazilahmed was applying for upward variation in maintenance up to US$350 which she said would be for the upkeep of the child. Brown and Fazilahmed have been on record fighting over the upkeep of this child.

In her founding affidavit, Fazilahmed accused Brown of irresponsibility. She said Brown had not been contributing anything towards the upkeep of the child. She said Brown last paid for maintenance of his son in Zimbabwe dollars, which he did for a few months before he declined.

As proof of changed circumstances to warrant the upward in variation, she highlighted that the last maintenance order was in Zimbabwe dollars and she was applying for a variation in the current multi-currency system. She added that the child was now in school and she needed Brown to help her with the payment of school fees.

During the first court hearing, Brown defaulted resulting in his lawyer calling for a postponement. This was not good news to Fazilahmed who was prepared to have the matter heard. She argued that she was having problems in commuting to the court for another hearing. She told the court that she stayed in Kariba and had no transport.

This resulted in the respondent’s representative offering to cater for her transport expenses, an arrangement which she agreed. Both parties yesterday agreed on US$150 as upward variation in monthly maintenance for the kid which they presented before Magistrate Renika Dzikiti.

Sometime last year, Brown appeared before the Harare magistrate’s court after assaulting Fazilahmed after an altercation over the child’s upkeep.