Coronavirus: Buyanga demands ‘remote’ meetings with ex-lover

News
FLAMBOYANT businessman Frank Buyanga has demanded “remote” meetings with his former girlfriend to discuss their child’s welfare, saying he fears meeting her in person will expose him to the coronavirus.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

FLAMBOYANT businessman Frank Buyanga has demanded “remote” meetings with his former girlfriend to discuss their child’s welfare, saying he fears meeting her in person will expose him to the coronavirus.

Buyanga is embroiled in nasty court battles with Chantelle Muteswa over the custody of their child.

The millionaire businessman left Zimbabwe with his son ahead of a court hearing that was scheduled for last week. Muteswa accused him of snatching the boy from her at a shopping centre in Harare.

Buyanga now wants a conference call via Skype to discuss the custody of the boy, a letter from his lawyers sent to Muteswa’s lawyers has revealed.

He argued that it was impossible for him and the boy to have face-to-face meetings with Muteswa due to the deadly coronavirus.

“We are instructed on behalf of Frank Sadiqi Buyanga in relation to the custody matter involving his son and Chantelle Muteswa,” Buyanga’s lawyer, Waller Pollins Goldstein, wrote.

“In light of the current Covid-19 situation and your client having been sentenced to prison for contempt of court, it is clearly unsafe for her to have face-to-face access to her child.

“We, therefore, propose to have remote meetings going forward.

“Please advise us of your times and conveniences in order to arrange a skype meeting with the child.”

Buyanga said he was concerned about an alleged false press release issued by Muteswa insinuating that he kidnapped his son.

The flamboyant businessman said he was considering relocating to the United Kingdom and was weighing options to move the child custody battle to courts in that country.

High Court judge Justice Happius Zhou recently delivered a landmark ruling on custody for children born out of wedlock after granting Buyanga and Muteswa joint guardianship of their child.

Previously Zimbabwe’s common law only granted sole guardianship to mothers for children born out of wedlock.

Last week Buyanga wrote a letter to the Judicial Service Commission complaining about one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sons Collins’ alleged interference in the case between him and Muteswa.

He claimed Collins was in direct contact with High Court judge Justice Jacob Manzunzu, who is handling the case. Buyanga said the president’s son was linked to Muteswa.