Kudzayi accuses court system of sabotage

Journalist and political commentator Edmund Kudzayi has accused the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Softwarehouse Pvt Ltd, and prominent lawyer Advocate Fadzayi Mahere of collusion and deliberate obstruction of justice, following a string of highly contested legal events stemming from a US$100,000 defamation judgment entered against him.

In a detailed public statement shared via social media on Thursday morning, Kudzayi alleged that the High Court's Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) - operated by Softwarehouse - had effectively "held hostage" an urgent application meant to stay the execution of a default judgment obtained by Mahere in March this year.

"At ~09:44 AM this morning, my lawyers paid the USD $10.26 stamp fee to the High Court for an urgent application," Kudzayi wrote. "The payment was made through the official Paynow platform (merchant 61126) and confirmed instantly (Txn ID MP250731.1004.F59482). Yet hours later, the IECMS system has deliberately stalled the transaction in a 'Pending' state. This is not a glitch. It is calculated interference."

The filing, according to Kudzayi, was meant to prevent the enforcement of a default judgment granted after he was physically blocked from attending his hearing on March 24, 2025, by court security. That same day, Mahere obtained the default ruling.

On July 9, 2025, a writ of execution was issued — the same day as the judgment itself — an unusual speed that Kudzayi calls "legally questionable." Despite filing an application for rescission of judgment on July 24, he says the Sheriff proceeded with attachment of property on July 29, ignoring the pending challenge.

"The court's payment system is now being weaponized," Kudzayi charged. "This isn't a malfunction — it's manual manipulation. Payments on this system are processed in seconds. It is technically impossible for a transaction to be successful for the payer but 'pending' for the court without human interference."

Kudzayi directly linked the delays and alleged system manipulation to Mahere's legal team, questioning whether the former opposition spokesperson is "benefiting from a criminal syndicate" working within Zimbabwe's justice infrastructure.

"This is no longer a legal dispute," he declared. "It is an act of criminality against the state. Who benefits? The same person who snatched a US$100,000 judgment under suspicious circumstances? The same person celebrated by a ZANU PF Minister while her supposed party leader, Nelson Chamisa, maintains complete silence?"

Citing a "sinister pattern of obstruction," Kudzayi painted a broader picture of systemic failure and political interference, questioning why Mahere was removed from her spokesperson role and hinting at fractures within Zimbabwe's opposition ranks.

"I am putting the Judicial Service Commission, Softwarehouse Pvt Ltd, and the Law Society of Zimbabwe on notice," Kudzayi warned. "You are either victims of this conspiracy or willing accomplices."

He ended his statement with a call to action: "The question for Zimbabwe is no longer just about my case. It is this: Has Advocate Mahere become the beneficiary of a criminal syndicate dedicated to perverting the course of justice for personal and political gain? We demand answers. And we demand them now."

As of publication, there had been no official response from Mahere, the JSC, or Softwarehouse. The controversy is expected to trigger further public and legal scrutiny over the integrity of Zimbabwe's court systems and digital case management platforms.