dyton mupawaenda
Court Correspondent
The trial of gospel musician Ivy Kombo and her husband Admire Kasi, who are being accused of fraudulently acquiring certificates to practice law in Zimbabwe continued this week with the State leading its second witness before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka.
In her evidence in chief, Shorai Tafadzwa Mupunga, a former legal officer at the Council for Legal Education (CLE) told the court that printing conversion certificates was part of her duties before she resigned from the institution last year.
After printing, she would take them to the executive secretary for CLE, Huggins Hardwork Duri, who would get the certificates signed.
Duri is now on suspension and under prosecution for allegedly facilitating the issuance of practising certificates to a number of undeserving people, including Kombo and Kasi.
Mupunga allegedly received US$1 100 from a person at Kasi’s church office in Harare, which was to be given to Duri, the third accused person in the matter.
Mupunga told the court that she first received a phone call from Kombo in 2019 who enquired about the processes involved for one to obtain a conversion certificate to practice law in Zimbabwe.
In 2021, she received a phone call from Kasi who enquired about getting conversion certificates and if it was possible for him and his wife to get the certificates without writing exams.
Duri allegedly told Kasi that it was possible and asked him to pay US$1 100 to get the certificates without taking the requisite exams.
Mupunga, the alleged middle-person in the fraudulent deal, asked Kasi to give her the money and she was instructed to go and collect it from someone at his church office in Harare since Kasi was in the United Kingdom.
Mupunga told the court that she handed over the US$1 100 to Duri who facilitated production of the certificates. After they were ready in September 2022, Mupunga notified Kasi who instructed her to leave the certificates at the church office.
Mupunga said she was sure that the two accused persons got conversion certificates fraudulently as she was the one who delivered them to the office of the accused persons.
During cross-examination by the accused couple’s lawyers, Mr Admire Rubaya and Mr Everson Chatambudza, Mupunga told the court that she was not aware that Kombo was given an exemption certificate of conversion.
Asked whether there was evidence and if she really spoke to Kombo or Kasi over the phone, she said she had not done so.
Asked whether she knew the person who handed her the money at Kasi’s church office, Mupunga said she did not know the person and could not remember the address or name of the offices.
Mupunga said she resigned from CLE in February 2022 and the applications for exemption for the two accused produced before the court were done later in August last year.
Kombo and Kasu alleged that they received the conversion certificates from CLE, signed by a judge, Justice Sylvia Chirau and had no knowledge whether they were products of the alleged fraud since they followed all the procedures required including payments required.
Prosecutors, Mr Oscar Madhume and Mr Anesu Chirenje are appearing for the State. The trial will continue on December 18.
Online Reporter