EMBATTLED former Premier Soccer League chairman, Twine Phiri, who is accused of failing to settle over $20,000 alimony arrears was Monday slapped with two warrants of arrests after he failed turn up for a court hearing.
Phiri was not available when his name was called out Monday morning, forcing the court to issue the warrnts. He turned up later, explaining that he was at a lawyer’s office.
He told court that his lawyer Steven Chikotora renounced agency and asked for a postponement of the case to another day so that his new attorney acquaints himself with the case.
However, the seemingly annoyed magistrate Lazini Ncube only gave him until lunch time to prepare his mitigation before he delivered judgement.
The magistrate was not amused that the case was being postponed repeatedly at Phiri’s instance, making clear that wanted the matter finalised.
Phiri, who has another pending case in another court, told the magistrate that his friends promised to settle the arrears for him.
He was earlier last year hauled before the same courts battling some $67,551 in arrears for the same children he had with ex-wife Keresiya Phiri.
According to the State, in February 2014, Chitungwiza civil court ordered Phiri to pay maintenance fees of $2,913 per months for the children with effect from March 31 that year.
Prosecutors allege that he was also ordered to buy uniforms twice a year for the three children and to cater for medical expenses when the need arises.
Court heard that Phiri only managed to pay $3,600 from April 2016 to November for maintenance, medical expenses and school uniforms.
It is alleged that he was supposed to pay $24,280 over the same period. The court heard that Phiri’s arrears stood at $20,680 as at November 30.
The former CAPS United owner says he cannot afford to pay the money anymore as he is facing financial problems.
However, his former wife maintains that Phiri is rich and owns several companies.