Pastor's maintenance drama plays out in court

A Bulawayo-based pastor who is also founder of Anchor of Christ International Ministries is in hot soup after he was dragged to court by his estranged wife over maintenance arrears.

Pastor Decide Chauke was dragged to maintenance court last week by his estranged wife Caroline Chauke demanding US$100 being arrears from the US$350 he was ordered to pay by the court for the upkeep of their two minor children aged 9 and 11.

This was after he paid US$250 instead of US$350.

This was also after his estranged wife made strenuous efforts to engage him but without success.

He was arguing that he spent the entire month of August with their two children.

He appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Makelo Ncube and in his defence he argued saying there was no reason to pay it since he spent the entire August holiday with their children.

However, the magistrate cautioned him for violating the court order before she ordered him to pay that balance of US$100 within seven days.

Chauke was initially dragged to court in May this year after he failed to cater for their minor children and deserted home to stay at their church premises in Bulawayo’s Romney Park suburb.

His estranged wife applied for US$500 for the upkeep of their children before Chauke disputed the claim saying it was “too much” since he was not employed.

He was however, ordered to pay US$350 being US$100 to each child and US$150 to his estranged wife for a period of 18 months or until she secures a job.

The court also ordered him to pay for the children’s school fees and uniforms and to buy clothes for their children after every six months until they attain the legal age of majority.

Source: Bulawayo24