Gibson Nyikadzino and Simba Gomwe
A PASTOR with a local Pentecostal church based in Kwekwe has been caught in a storm after he neglected a child he fathered nearly 14 years ago, despite deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test results proving his fatherhood.
Knowledge Mangezi is insisting on having a second round of DNA tests claiming that the first tests “might have been tampered with”.
The first tests were conducted in November last year and the second tests were scheduled for last month, to which he never showed up.
H-Metro is in possession of the DNA results.
The child in question, currently stays with her aunt and is a student in Bulawayo. Mangezi allegedly impregnated Lindiwe Chiocha in 2010 and denied responsibility.
When Chiocha gave birth she took the child to Mangezi, who is understood to have been pressured by his brother to deny responsibility.
Chiocha is said to have then left the child in the custody of her mother in 2013 when she went to search for greener pastures in neighbouring South, where she got married and has not returned since.
Chiocha’s aunt Chaturuka, who confronted Mangezi at the church in Kwekwe on July 24, accused the latter of caring more “to preserve the name of the church at the expense of the child’s upkeep.”
“These modern-day pastors are deceitful. They are always interested in being flashy while taking the name of the Lord in vain.
“This man’s attitude is intolerable and you wonder if he is a true man of God.
“He has been denying this child from pregnancy to this day. In fact, he never got married to the mother’s child because he said he was not responsible for the pregnancy.
“I had to come in to assist in raising this child because the grandmother was no longer able to take the child to school.
“I am now facing financial challenges and this is where the father of the child should show responsibility because DNA results confirmed last November that he is the father,” narrated Chaturuka.
Chaturuka explained that the child asked her hard questions about the whereabouts of her father, Mangezi, until she made an effort to look for Mangezi whom she located last year.
“It is difficult to tell a child who her father is when that man is neglecting her, even when there are DNA results.
“This child is only fighting to know her identity.
“At school, she has been teased by her friends about not having a father after they look at her birth certificate where it is written ‘Father of Child’ on the birth certificate, that space only has dashes.
“I have never asked him for anything other than encouraging him to take care of his daughter. He has never paid school fees nor bought anything for this child,” added Chaturuka.
When the H-Metro contacted Mangezi, he first refuted that he was the father of the child in question before acknowledging he impregnated Chiocha and after being informed that H-Metro was in possession of a copy of DNA results.
He however, said he impregnated Chiocha as a result of youthful exuberance and naivety, adding he was now talking to his wife on modalities to ensure that the girl in question is brought within the family fold.
He however, failed to account for the times he has contributed towards the child’s upkeep.
“I was young when I made Chiocha pregnant. However, I have been taking care of the child since last year.
“Currently all I need is to have my child within the family fold and we are working on that with my family.
“I can no longer fight the DNA results. I have been sending Chaturuka money every month since January this year but feels he is being extorted. I am now waiting to instruct my lawyers so that I start fighting for custody. Children are blessings from God.
“I didn’t know I had a child with the child’s mother and as we parted ways, I didn’t know I had made her pregnant.
“It is just now when I heard that I had a child, and I have since resolved with my wife to take the child with us.
“My uncle is in communication with the child’s maternal family so that we fulfill the cultural procedures before taking the child in,” Mangezi said.