A man who refuses to support his child is issuing threats that he will beat the mother of his child if she comes to him for child support.

The woman says she is afraid of the man because she knows he will carry out his threats.

According to the woman, the child is four years old and the father stopped maintaining him since he was two years old.

"I have a child who is now four years old and his father has refused to give me money to take care of him since he was two years old, " she disclosed.

minimum wage

"I called him several times and asked his relatives to talk to him and encourage him to support his child but he refuses. I work at a restaurant and I am paid minimum wage so I have financial problems in taking care of my son and my mother who is not working.

"Last month, I telephoned my son's father and told him of the financial problems I was having and he cursed me most disgracefully. He even told me that it was a 'jacket' I gave him, because people have been telling him that the child is not his.

"I told him that he knows it is not the truth because I have never cheated on him but he said he was not interested to hear what I had to say.

"Now this man can more than afford to support his child because he runs his own business and is always giving money to his girlfriends. The truth is I really cannot afford to give my son some of the basic things that he needs. I even suggested to his father that if he had doubts that he was not the father then he could do a DNA test but he says he is not interested.

"My mother is suggesting that I should not let this man bully me and I should take him to court for child support. Do you think this is a good idea?"

The child's father has a responsibility to support his child and if he refuses you should take him to court. If he threatens you or assaults you then you should report the matter to the police.

The Maintenance Act makes provision for parents to to be compelled to maintain their children, if they refuse. Section 9 (1) of the Act states in part that the judge in making an order for the support of a child "shall apportion the obligation according to the capacities of the parents to provide support". It must be borne in mind that there are penalties for a person who disobeys a maintenance order.

'He even told me that it was a 'jacket' I gave him because people have been telling him that the child is not his.'