Presiding magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka consented to the
postponement, and set the matter for December 11 to 13 on a continuous roll.
The couple allegedly fraudulently acquired fake examination
certificates so they could practice law in Zimbabwe after obtaining Bachelor of
Laws degrees in England.
The two are being jointly charged with Huggins Hardwork
Duri who is the suspended Executive Secretary for the Council for Legal
Education (CLE).
The State alleged that during 2013, the couple graduated
from the University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, with Bachelor of Laws
degrees. But as with all those graduating from foreign law schools, the couple
had to obtain a certificate of completion from the Council for Legal Education
by writing and passing conversion examinations so they could practice Law in
Zimbabwe.
These examinations show that the foreign graduate has
successfully converted from the legal system and practices in the country where
they graduated to Zimbabwean Law and practice.
According to the State, following a complaint by the
finance and administration manager for the council, Mr Joe Zimba, in 2021,
Kombo approached Shorai Tafadzwa Mupunga, a council official, to assist her to
register and write these conversion examinations.
Mupunga advised Kombo that she would engage Duri, the
suspended secretary for CLE, who is already on remand on related cases.
The court heard that in 2022, Mupunga approached Duri who
said he would issue conversion certificates without the two writing the
conversion examinations if they paid US$1 100.
They allegedly paid the money through Mupunga who handed it
over to Duri who in turn “certified” that the two had written and passed eight
conversion subjects in Statute Law, Evidence, Bookkeeping, Civil law practice
duties and functions, Ethics for legal practitioners, Civil practice and
procedure, Common Law 1 and Common Law 2.
Duri then handed over the certificates to Mupunga who in
turn gave them to Kombo and her husband.
The two were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission investigations team. Herald
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