An application by a mother of two for the father of her children to increase maintenance for his children to P5 000, has been rejected by Maun Magistrate Court, with the complainant getting only P2000.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalu on Tuesday, Grace Etsogile told court that the defendant, Masedi Disho has been giving her P500 as child support for their daughters aged 8 and 10 respectively and P1000 for their school transport.
She argued that the amount was far less and does not match with his salary as a safari camp manager. She posited that P5000 would be enough to sustain the children for a month.
Etsogile wanted for the monthly amount for their two children to be increased from P500 to P2000 each plus an extra P1000 for transport fare to school, all totalling to P5000.
Asked when the total maintenance of her children is P10 000 as she also has to contribute the same amount as the father, Etsogile said her daily chores of taking care of the children was more than the amount she is demanding from their father.
Etsogile complained that following their appearance at a Customary court where the matter was initially registered, Disho stopped giving her P500 child support and instead gave her stuff which she alleges were all left overs. As an exhibit the complainant brought before court opened toiletries which she alleges were from Disho.
For his part, the defendant indicated that he can only afford to pay P2000 as child support every month. He presented his payslip to support his statement.
Mulalu then subsequently ordered Disho to pay child support of P2000 monthly, and directed him to deposit the money into Etsogile’s bank account every month without fail. Etsogile was ordered to use the money only for the children not her personal use.
Etsogile who questioned if the P2000 included transport fare for the children was advised by the court to file the matter before Maun High Court if she is not satisfied with the ruling.
Before the same court chief magistrate Mulalu postponed commencement of trial for two men who are alleged to have on April 2021 broken into and stolen from Parkis Bar at Botshabelo Ward.
The accused persons, Orefile Kantse and Goitseone Sondani are alleged to have on the 21st April 2021 around 0400 hours broken into the said bar and made away with alcoholic beverages amounting to P3852.00, P156 cash, and cigarettes valued at P20.
According to court documents, the two were arrested by a police team on duty when they came across a beige Toyota corolla which they signaled to stop but instead it sped off. It is said that the police then followed the car which upon stopping both the accused persons fled the scene.
The first accused person, Kantse was subsequently arrested during the chase while Sondani managed to out run the police. Upon his arrest, Kantse was taken back to the car which was searched and assorted alcoholic beverages were found.
The first accused person then confessed that they broke in Parkis bar and stole the alcohol. He is said to have further confessed that some of the alcoholic beverages were stored at the place of the second accused person’s girlfriend.
Sondani was later on a different date arrested and both the accused persons confessed to have committed the offence. The accused persons will appear on the 23rd January for confirmation of trial dates.
