News / National
State withdraws case against Chief Ndiweni's lawyer
05 Oct 2020 at 16:52hrs | Views
THE State has withdrawn charges of defeating justice against dethroned Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni's lawyer, Dumisani Dube.
Dube was arrested in June this year by officers from the Police Special Anti-Corruption Unit on allegations of defeating the course of justice after he obtained a court order in a dispute over a mining claim.
The lawyer rose to prominence last year when he represented Ndiweni, a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Ndiweni was arrested and brought to court on charges of destruction of a villager's property in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province.
However, the charges against Dube dropped last week.
"We are relieved that lawyer Dumisani Dube, a lawyer based in Bulawayo, is now free after prosecutors on Wednesday withdrew charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice before plea," Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said.
Dube, who was represented by Godfrey Nyoni.
Dube (32) and his co-accused, George Manyonga (36) based in Harare were accused of hatching a plan to obtain a default judgment from Bulawayo High Court in a matter between the late Hitler Chagwanhira (who was the applicant) and Kufakunesu Chitoro and five other respondents over a mining dispute in the Midlands province.
The court heard that Manyonga allegedly used an invalid special power of attorney from Chagwanhira who passed on 10 December 2019, knowing that Chagwanhira was dead and engaged Dube for legal services.
Dube is said to have instructed his clerk only identified as Nyamhunga to proceed to Chijaka Primary School in Chinhoyi and served Chitoro and second respondent Lamios Chinhuri the papers.
However, the court heard Nyamhunga did not serve the papers to the respondents and made an oath to Dube stating that he had served the papers to Chitoro at No. 16 Acacia Road, Kadoma. The state said the address did not exist.
Dube was arrested in June this year by officers from the Police Special Anti-Corruption Unit on allegations of defeating the course of justice after he obtained a court order in a dispute over a mining claim.
The lawyer rose to prominence last year when he represented Ndiweni, a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Ndiweni was arrested and brought to court on charges of destruction of a villager's property in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province.
However, the charges against Dube dropped last week.
"We are relieved that lawyer Dumisani Dube, a lawyer based in Bulawayo, is now free after prosecutors on Wednesday withdrew charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice before plea," Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said.
Dube (32) and his co-accused, George Manyonga (36) based in Harare were accused of hatching a plan to obtain a default judgment from Bulawayo High Court in a matter between the late Hitler Chagwanhira (who was the applicant) and Kufakunesu Chitoro and five other respondents over a mining dispute in the Midlands province.
The court heard that Manyonga allegedly used an invalid special power of attorney from Chagwanhira who passed on 10 December 2019, knowing that Chagwanhira was dead and engaged Dube for legal services.
Dube is said to have instructed his clerk only identified as Nyamhunga to proceed to Chijaka Primary School in Chinhoyi and served Chitoro and second respondent Lamios Chinhuri the papers.
However, the court heard Nyamhunga did not serve the papers to the respondents and made an oath to Dube stating that he had served the papers to Chitoro at No. 16 Acacia Road, Kadoma. The state said the address did not exist.
Source - newzimbabwe
