Popular Bulawayo Doctor, Dr Nkonzo Ndebele has been set free on failure to pay $38 500 that his ex-girlfriend, Grace Ndlovu, was demanding for the period between 2018 to 2024.
In 2015 Dr Ndebele was ordered to pay $500 per month towards the child upkeep. It was never clear the dollar sign ($) was for Zim or USD which by then was trading at 1 to 1.
In 2023 Ndlovu tried to get custody of their child and failed. In 2024 it is alleged she tried to smuggle the child out of Zimbabwe and was thwarted by Ndebele. Matters came to a head when she transferred the child from Girls College to Falcon College and the accused refused to pay Falcon College fees. After their misunderstanding, she then reported to the police and laid maintenance charges against Dr Ndebele.
Dr Ndebele was represented by prominent Bulawayo lawyer, Vusilizwe Vuma. Vuma attacked the State case arguing that it was premised on a defective charge as the 2015 Court Order they relied upon had a $ sign and not USD.
The court agreed with Vuma, that the State had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt as they failed to comply with the law and as such the amount remains unknown.
Mr Vuma told the court the complainant laid charges just to fix his client.
