News / National
Lawyer thrown behind bars for stealing from client
16 Sep 2013 at 05:05hrs | Views
A Zvishavane lawyer, Margaret Dutiro, was last week jailed for an effective three years for stealing $20 000 from her client.
Dutiro whose age was not given but resides in Eastlea, Zvishavane was jointly charged with her secretary Rachel Moyo (20). They both pleaded not guilty.
Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Pathekile Msipa, however, found Dutiro guilty and sentenced her to five years in prison while Moyo was acquitted.
One year on Dutiro's sentence was suspended on condition of good behaviour. The other one year was suspended on condition that she restitutes the complaint Mrs Judith Malame $10 000.
The other $10 000 had already been restituted, the court heard. For the State, Mr Bonwell Balamanja told the court that on 23 September 2009, Mrs Malame visited Dutiro and Partners law firm and handed $20 000 to the law firm's secretary, Moyo.
The money was meant to pay for a house which Ms Malame had bought from Mr Hiram Moyo and Dutiro was supposed to complete the legal documents for the transaction.
Mr Balamanja said after receiving and receipting the money, Dutiro and Moyo did not bank the money but locked it in a cash box in their office.
The court heard that Dutiro and Moyo then made a police report to the effect that burglars had broken into their office and stole Ms Malame's money.
Police who attended to the scene later arrested Dutiro and Moyo following some investigations. In her defence, Dutiro who was represented by Mr Hilary Garikayi of Garikayi and Company submitted that her client's money was stolen by burglars. She said the burglars had targeted their office and could have used duplicate keys to gain entry into their locked office.
Dutiro whose age was not given but resides in Eastlea, Zvishavane was jointly charged with her secretary Rachel Moyo (20). They both pleaded not guilty.
Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Pathekile Msipa, however, found Dutiro guilty and sentenced her to five years in prison while Moyo was acquitted.
One year on Dutiro's sentence was suspended on condition of good behaviour. The other one year was suspended on condition that she restitutes the complaint Mrs Judith Malame $10 000.
The money was meant to pay for a house which Ms Malame had bought from Mr Hiram Moyo and Dutiro was supposed to complete the legal documents for the transaction.
Mr Balamanja said after receiving and receipting the money, Dutiro and Moyo did not bank the money but locked it in a cash box in their office.
The court heard that Dutiro and Moyo then made a police report to the effect that burglars had broken into their office and stole Ms Malame's money.
Police who attended to the scene later arrested Dutiro and Moyo following some investigations. In her defence, Dutiro who was represented by Mr Hilary Garikayi of Garikayi and Company submitted that her client's money was stolen by burglars. She said the burglars had targeted their office and could have used duplicate keys to gain entry into their locked office.
Source - Zimpapers
