But even as a lawsuit looms the couple seemed unbothered on Monday morning as they posted pictures of themselves working out in their home gym at the singer’s mansion in Tegeta Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam. Life on the fast lane has its price as socialite Zari Hassan and Bongo Flava star Diamond Platinumz would testify.
After the birth of their daughter, Latiffah, who became an instant celebrity on instagram with over 50,000 followers, the baby’s paternity is now being questioned and could drag the couple through a long and public litigation war.
But even as a lawsuit looms the couple seemed unbothered on Monday morning as they posted pictures of themselves working out in their home gym at the singer’s mansion in Tegeta Dar es Salaam.
Speaking to The Citizen, Diamond’s camp which is represented by his manager Babu Tale said they were undisturbed and dismissed the lawsuit threat as coming from “guys who were out to look for publicity.”
“I don’t think, it is appropriate for us to say anything because we know what the truth is so they can just carry on with the threat,” said Babu Tale.
According to a Ugandan website Howwe.biz, a relative of Zari’s former partner (Ivan Ssemwanga) King Lawrence, has demanded that she takes her daughter Tiffah for DNA tests to determine who its father is.
In an attorney’s letter that has become one of the most trending issues on social media, King Lawrence has filed a suit through Web Advocates & Solicitors — a commercial and immigration specialist law firm in Uganda.
It is not clear why King Lawrence is interested in the paternity of the child who he says belongs to his relative. The suit seeks to compel Diamond’s partner, Zari Hassan, to take their child for up to three DNA tests to establish the child’s true paternity in seven days.
According to a letter addressed to Zari, the firm claims their client, King Lawrence, believes there is a possibility that his relative sired the child.
“It has come to our client’s attention that you (Zari) have unilaterally decided to offer the paternity of the infant (Tiffah) to one Nasibu Abdul Juma, alias Diamond Platnumz, without considering his (King) strong interests or in fact a real possibility that the child could be his.”
“You have also denied him the slightest access to the child,” reads the letter in part.
The letter adds: “We therefore write to officially request your cooperation in this matter so that our client’s fears that a child that could actually be his is not nurtured, groomed and raised by another man with a completely different culture. Our client needs to put this to rest, in any event.”
King Lawrence’s advocates even shared suggestions for the venues they would want the DNA tests to be conducted. He (King) has also offered to foot the cost of the exercise.
“Our client therefore suggests that three paternity tests are run. One in Uganda, one in South Africa and the last in the United States of America so that our client is either confirmed or completely excluded from being the infant’s biological father.
King undertakes to meet all associated costs involved in this process.”
Ivan Ssemwanga’s cousin concludes the letter by saying if Zari will not agree to their demands they would be forced to take further action.
“We believe that this kind of request shall be treated with the urgency it deserves but should you not cooperate within seven (7) working days from the date of the receipt of this letter; our instructions are that we take further steps to address our clients.”
Zari and Diamond’s relationship first surfaced in tabloid magazines in October 2014 with a much publicized picture that showed the two on a romantic getaway in Dar es Salaam.
Their appearance on the red carpet at the Channel O Awards on November 30 in Johannesburg South Africa was confirmation that Zari had finally taken what was once Wema Sepetu’s patch.
Though it was kept in a hush the two officially confirmed their relationship at the Zari All White Party in Kampala in December 2014.
