CHAPTER 28:03
DESERTED WIVES AND CHILDREN PROTECTION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

    1.     Short title

    2.     Interpretation

    3.     Complaint

    4.     Court may make order for maintenance

    5.     Order not to be made when wife guilty of adultery

    6.     Effect of order

    7.     Trial may be in private

    8.     Order may be certified and transmitted to other courts

    9.     Reciprocity with other countries

Law 29, 1962,
HMC Order 1, 1963,
L.N. 84, 1966,
Act 77, 1970,
Act 22, 1978.

An Act to provide for the making of orders for the maintenance of wives and children who have been deserted and are without adequate means of support and for matters incidental thereto.

[Date of Commencement: 25th July, 1963]

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Deserted Wives and Children Protection Act.

2.    Interpretation

    (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    "acts of cruelty" include conduct creating a danger to life, limb or health or any course of conduct which in the opinion of the court is grossly insulting and intolerable or is of such a character without proof of actual personal violence that the wife or children seeking maintenance could not reasonably be expected to be willing to live with the husband or father after he has been guilty of the same;

    "child" means a person—

    (a)    under the age of 16 years;

    (b)    who has attained the age of 16 years but has not attained the age of 21 years and is not earning his own living;

    "court" means a magistrate's court;

    "district", in relation to any magistrate's court, means the district or sub-district or area within which such court has jurisdiction;