A man from Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central Province, Joseph Chigwedegwere was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment by a magistrate for masquerading as a lawyer.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) Chigwedegwere misrepresented to Tabeth Madzonga that he was a lawyer and would assist her husband, Lovemore Mabasa apply for bail.
Lovemore had been arrested for prospecting for gold without a licence. Said the NPA:
Joseph Chigwedegwere (49) was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment by a Mt Darwin Magistrate on a charge of pretending to be a legal practitioner.
The State told the court that the accused person approached one Tabeth Madzonga whose husband, Lovemore Mabasa was appearing in court on a charge of prospecting for gold without a licence.
He allegedly misrepresented to Tabeth Madzonga and Christine Mabasa that he was a legal practitioner and would assist them with Lovemore Mabasa’s bail application.
He charged them USD150 for his services and went on to obtain state papers for the matter from the Public Prosecutor who was handling the case.
The accused person was subsequently arrested after it was discovered that he was not a legal practitioner and the state papers were recovered.
Further investigations also led to the recovery of a fake Law Society of Zimbabwe practising certificate.
Chigwedegwere was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment of which 3 months were suspended for 5 years. This means he will serve 6 months effective.
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