News / National
Bulawayo man reports lawyer to Law Society of Zimbabwe
13 Sep 2024 at 08:03hrs | Views
A Bulawayo resident has lodged a formal complaint alleging severe misconduct and unethical behavior within the legal system, specifically targeting a local lawyer accused of disrupting legal proceedings.
Godfrey Ngaite, previously employed as a Deli Field Manager at TM Supermarket Pvt (Ltd) based at Hyper Supermarket, claims his dismissal was based on falsified documents with inconsistent dates. Ngaite contends that these documents were used unlawfully to terminate his employment.
On September 2, Ngaite submitted a detailed complaint to the Law Society of Zimbabwe, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe, the Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Zimbabwe, and the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe. In his complaint, Ngaite accuses a lawyer of interfering with the proper handling of his case.
Ngaite's letter states, "It is evident that fair justice should be accessible to all parties, regardless of their financial situation. It has come to my attention that TM PicknPay has leveraged its financial resources to obstruct justice, extending the legal battle until I am exhausted. Moreover, the company improperly allowed Mr. Patrick Ndlovu of the Commercial Workers Union of Zimbabwe (CWUZ), who lacks the jurisdiction to represent management employees under the NECCSZ Code of Conduct and the National Code of Conduct (S.I. 15 of 2006), to act in this matter."
He also claims that he was barred from attending court proceedings until the matter was resolved. Ngaite further alleges that due to the company's financial influence, the Ministry of Labour allowed parties without proper jurisdiction to hear the case without issuing a ruling.
"Ndlovu informed me that I could not attend court proceedings until the case was concluded. Despite obtaining a condonation as advised by the labour officer, I was told that the initial and second hearings were treated as the first, creating significant confusion," Ngaite's complaint reads.
Faced with financial constraints, Ngaite took out a loan to hire legal representation. He engaged Costar Dube from Dube and Associates Legal Practitioners, who, according to Ngaite, discouraged him from pursuing the case after a discussion with another lawyer, despite initially describing the matter as straightforward.
Ngaite's complaint concludes with an appeal for intervention from the Law Society: "I urge the Law Society to address these issues, as they hinder my access to justice and adversely impact the legal system. I call upon the Society to uphold the law and integrity of your organization in serving justice."
The complaint underscores concerns about potential ethical breaches and the misuse of power within the legal system, with Ngaite seeking redress and a fair resolution to his case.
Godfrey Ngaite, previously employed as a Deli Field Manager at TM Supermarket Pvt (Ltd) based at Hyper Supermarket, claims his dismissal was based on falsified documents with inconsistent dates. Ngaite contends that these documents were used unlawfully to terminate his employment.
On September 2, Ngaite submitted a detailed complaint to the Law Society of Zimbabwe, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe, the Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Zimbabwe, and the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe. In his complaint, Ngaite accuses a lawyer of interfering with the proper handling of his case.
Ngaite's letter states, "It is evident that fair justice should be accessible to all parties, regardless of their financial situation. It has come to my attention that TM PicknPay has leveraged its financial resources to obstruct justice, extending the legal battle until I am exhausted. Moreover, the company improperly allowed Mr. Patrick Ndlovu of the Commercial Workers Union of Zimbabwe (CWUZ), who lacks the jurisdiction to represent management employees under the NECCSZ Code of Conduct and the National Code of Conduct (S.I. 15 of 2006), to act in this matter."
He also claims that he was barred from attending court proceedings until the matter was resolved. Ngaite further alleges that due to the company's financial influence, the Ministry of Labour allowed parties without proper jurisdiction to hear the case without issuing a ruling.
"Ndlovu informed me that I could not attend court proceedings until the case was concluded. Despite obtaining a condonation as advised by the labour officer, I was told that the initial and second hearings were treated as the first, creating significant confusion," Ngaite's complaint reads.
Faced with financial constraints, Ngaite took out a loan to hire legal representation. He engaged Costar Dube from Dube and Associates Legal Practitioners, who, according to Ngaite, discouraged him from pursuing the case after a discussion with another lawyer, despite initially describing the matter as straightforward.
Ngaite's complaint concludes with an appeal for intervention from the Law Society: "I urge the Law Society to address these issues, as they hinder my access to justice and adversely impact the legal system. I call upon the Society to uphold the law and integrity of your organization in serving justice."
The complaint underscores concerns about potential ethical breaches and the misuse of power within the legal system, with Ngaite seeking redress and a fair resolution to his case.
Source - The Herald
