News / National
Corruption allegations rock Zimbabwe High Court
11 Sep 2024 at 08:39hrs | Views
An investigation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has revealed allegations of corruption at the Harare High Court, involving the mishandling of a disputed US$2 million estate case. The probe uncovered that two companies, Sales Cooperation (Private) Limited and Samalyn Investments (Private) Limited, were unfairly subjected to a default judgment due to alleged manipulation of court records by some High Court officials.
The JSC report indicated that these officials conspired to misplace the companies' opposing documents on an "unopposed" court roll, despite the ongoing legal dispute over the estate. The companies had purchased the estate from a deceased individual before an aggrieved party sought to cancel the deed of transfer. The JSC further accused the law firm Warhurst & Matizanadzo of collaborating with court officials to manipulate documents and secure a default judgment in favor of the opposing party.
Warhurst & Matizanadzo's involvement has sparked serious concerns regarding the integrity of High Court officials. A partner at the law firm denied the allegations, expressing indignation at the JSC's findings. The case has been reported to the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) and several judiciary offices.
Responding to a complaint filed by Darryn Williams Blumears, a representative of the affected companies, Ms. Bianca Makwande, head of policy and legal services at the JSC, confirmed the misconduct allegations. She noted that the companies' opposing papers were filed on September 27, 2019, but were improperly placed on the unopposed roll, leading to an unjust judgment.
Blumears’ complaint has since been supported by the JSC, with documents showing that the LSZ has requested an explanation from Warhurst & Matizanadzo. One of the implicated High Court officials has resigned, while another, identified as Stone, denied any wrongdoing, calling the JSC's investigation "procedurally unfair" and "defamatory."
Stone argued that she and her colleagues were not given the opportunity to respond to the accusations before the JSC made its findings. She requested that the complaint be dismissed, stating that there was no evidence of their involvement in corrupting court officials. The LSZ has referred the matter to its disciplinary and ethics committee for further investigation.
The JSC report indicated that these officials conspired to misplace the companies' opposing documents on an "unopposed" court roll, despite the ongoing legal dispute over the estate. The companies had purchased the estate from a deceased individual before an aggrieved party sought to cancel the deed of transfer. The JSC further accused the law firm Warhurst & Matizanadzo of collaborating with court officials to manipulate documents and secure a default judgment in favor of the opposing party.
Warhurst & Matizanadzo's involvement has sparked serious concerns regarding the integrity of High Court officials. A partner at the law firm denied the allegations, expressing indignation at the JSC's findings. The case has been reported to the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) and several judiciary offices.
Blumears’ complaint has since been supported by the JSC, with documents showing that the LSZ has requested an explanation from Warhurst & Matizanadzo. One of the implicated High Court officials has resigned, while another, identified as Stone, denied any wrongdoing, calling the JSC's investigation "procedurally unfair" and "defamatory."
Stone argued that she and her colleagues were not given the opportunity to respond to the accusations before the JSC made its findings. She requested that the complaint be dismissed, stating that there was no evidence of their involvement in corrupting court officials. The LSZ has referred the matter to its disciplinary and ethics committee for further investigation.
Source - The Herald
