News / National
Chamisa's hefty legal bill
06 Sep 2018 at 12:26hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa may have to fork out more than R42 million to meet the costs of his election outcome challenge he launched and lost at the country's Constitutional Court.
Chamisa sought to overturn president-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's July 30 election victory, but the ConCourt unanimously dismissed his challenge with costs.
But the figure may even rise if Chamisa's next course of action - appealing to a higher court - takes off.
Chamisa's legal team is reported to be lodging a petition with The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR).
The lawyers are seeking to challenge the decision made by the Constitutional Court, alleging that it violates the universal human rights of the people of Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana said the ruling party's lawyers were quantifying the exact amount due to them, but they had indicated an approximate bill of more than R42 million.
That figure excludes the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's legal bill.
"Lawyers charge according to the number of hours they spend on a case. You will appreciate that a humongous amount of hours were spent on this case because of its high profile nature and also because of the need to ensure that everything was on point," Mnangwana said.
Mangwana said the final bill required approval of the registrar of the court.
"The amount has to be in line with the prescribed rates which lawyers charge. Such rates are approved by the registrar of courts who also has to grant the approval. The amount will also undergo the necessary taxation processes," he said.
Mangwana said in the event Chamisa failed to pay, the opposition leader risked losing his personal property.
"What the ruling means is that Zanu-PF doesn't have to pay, it is Chamisa who has to pay our lawyers. The law says if he doesn't pay, we will have to attach his personal property.
"This law is made to guard against people who approach the courts with cases that are not of any substance," he said.
Judgments of the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe cannot be appealed in Zimbabwe, as it is a court of last instance.
Chamisa sought to overturn president-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's July 30 election victory, but the ConCourt unanimously dismissed his challenge with costs.
But the figure may even rise if Chamisa's next course of action - appealing to a higher court - takes off.
Chamisa's legal team is reported to be lodging a petition with The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR).
The lawyers are seeking to challenge the decision made by the Constitutional Court, alleging that it violates the universal human rights of the people of Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana said the ruling party's lawyers were quantifying the exact amount due to them, but they had indicated an approximate bill of more than R42 million.
That figure excludes the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's legal bill.
Mangwana said the final bill required approval of the registrar of the court.
"The amount has to be in line with the prescribed rates which lawyers charge. Such rates are approved by the registrar of courts who also has to grant the approval. The amount will also undergo the necessary taxation processes," he said.
Mangwana said in the event Chamisa failed to pay, the opposition leader risked losing his personal property.
"What the ruling means is that Zanu-PF doesn't have to pay, it is Chamisa who has to pay our lawyers. The law says if he doesn't pay, we will have to attach his personal property.
"This law is made to guard against people who approach the courts with cases that are not of any substance," he said.
Judgments of the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe cannot be appealed in Zimbabwe, as it is a court of last instance.
Source - ANA
