Love lost

By JAMES GUMUNO
A MAN who is living with his second wife was ordered by the Mount Hagen district court yesterday to return his three children to their mother.
Magistrate Donald Joseph also told Merlin Naian to seek help from the police family sexual crime violence unit if her husband, Dakri Konga, refused to comply with the order.
Naian had sought the court order to secure the custody of her children, aged two, six and nine, who were taken away by Konga to live with his second wife.
Joseph said: “The children need the comfort and care of their (maternal) mother to grow up.”
In another case, Joseph urged mothers not to use their children to punish their husbands.
“Whether your husband leaves you or marries another, it is your and your husband’s problem. Not the children’s,” he added.
Joseph made the remarks after a mother of two, who was left by her husband, told the court that the K200 fortnightly allowance provided by her husband for his children was insufficient and asked for an increase.
Joseph said: “If your husband is complying with the court order to pay fortnightly allowances to his children, there is no reason for you to try to punish him by asking for more.
“You are a lucky woman to get K200 fortnightly for your children. Some women don’t even get anything despite such court orders.
“Life is getting tough. Use the K200 wisely to raise your children.”
Joseph told Naian that her reasons in her affidavit for an increase in allowance due to higher costs of living were unreasonable.
“Unless your husband did not help in paying school fees or meeting medical expenses for his children, then you have the right to come to court,” he added.