Opinion / Columnist
'There is more behind the firing of Justice Mabhikwa by Mnangagwa'
22 Apr 2022 at 02:54hrs | Views
Top Zimbabwe doctor Thabisa Sibanda has suggested that the removal of Justice Thompson Mabhikwa from office by President Emmerson Mnangagwa may have been driven by a more sinister agenda than a mere sex scandal.
Sibanda argues that the judge was a victim of revenge porn and not a perpetrator and hence the perpetrator is the one that should have been arrested.
He further argues that the judge's conduct on the bench was not questioned in the gross misconduct case hence it bothers him why a matter committed outside the bench would lead to his removal.
Read his views below:
The Justice Thompson Mabhikwa matter is now under the bridge. Unfortunately the matter was clouded by the sensational issue surrounding the Judge's removal from office. I argue here that we did not get much information beyond the sensational matter.
I have not seen a full report from the Tribunal that recommended that the Justice be removed from office. From the summary it does seem that the Tribunal found his workplace conduct to be unfit of a Justice of the High Court.
Unless I may have missed something, there were no concerns about the way this man's conduct on the bench. It was his conduct outside the bench in his private life that was found to be deeply concerning.
The manner in which the man's private life was brought to light is public knowledge. The Justice was a victim of revenge porn. One of his lovers used his phone to share pornographic material with his fellow Judiciary officers.
How does a victim end up being a perpetrator? This is one question I hope the tribunal adequately addressed in their report. In my view, the issue was a workplace conduct matter and should have been addressed fairly and justly.
I am left with no option but to suspect that the Judge was removed for a different and probably undisclosed matter. This unfortunate soap opera workplace matter was used to disguise the real reason. Convince me that I am not paranoid Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am even moved to suspect that the woman in question was actually "hired" to perform a hit on this man. I am therefore disappointed about the lack of media and legal attempts to peel back this onion and see beyond the sensational.
Sibanda argues that the judge was a victim of revenge porn and not a perpetrator and hence the perpetrator is the one that should have been arrested.
He further argues that the judge's conduct on the bench was not questioned in the gross misconduct case hence it bothers him why a matter committed outside the bench would lead to his removal.
Read his views below:
The Justice Thompson Mabhikwa matter is now under the bridge. Unfortunately the matter was clouded by the sensational issue surrounding the Judge's removal from office. I argue here that we did not get much information beyond the sensational matter.
I have not seen a full report from the Tribunal that recommended that the Justice be removed from office. From the summary it does seem that the Tribunal found his workplace conduct to be unfit of a Justice of the High Court.
Unless I may have missed something, there were no concerns about the way this man's conduct on the bench. It was his conduct outside the bench in his private life that was found to be deeply concerning.
The manner in which the man's private life was brought to light is public knowledge. The Justice was a victim of revenge porn. One of his lovers used his phone to share pornographic material with his fellow Judiciary officers.
How does a victim end up being a perpetrator? This is one question I hope the tribunal adequately addressed in their report. In my view, the issue was a workplace conduct matter and should have been addressed fairly and justly.
I am left with no option but to suspect that the Judge was removed for a different and probably undisclosed matter. This unfortunate soap opera workplace matter was used to disguise the real reason. Convince me that I am not paranoid Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am even moved to suspect that the woman in question was actually "hired" to perform a hit on this man. I am therefore disappointed about the lack of media and legal attempts to peel back this onion and see beyond the sensational.
Source - Thabisa Sibanda
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