Source: Underfire High Court judge justice Webster Chinamora resigns

Underfire High Court Judge Justice Webster Chinamora is alleged to have tendered his resignation today, a day after President Emmerson Mnangagwa set up a tribunal to investigate his suitability to hold office.

A source told Nehanda Radio that Justice Chinamora tendered his resignation today to avoid a tribunal team led by retired judge Justice Moses Chinhengo.

Justice Chinamora faces a plethora of allegations and recently a Kadoma businessman filed his complaint to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Judge President Mary Zimba-Dube after he delivered a bogus ruling in a case that was not heard or argued.

Chinamora also faces another allegation where he clashed with advocate Thabani Mpofu in a case he is accused of conflict of interest.

The High Court judge case also sucked in an advocate Tawanda Zvobgo who was also reported to the Law Society of Zimbabwe for unprofessional conduct after he assumed agency of a case without filing a certificate to assume the agency.

Zvobgo is also being alleged to have been cited as representing the respondents in a case that was not argued.

While responding to the Law Society on the complaint, Zvobgo accused the complainant Believe Guta of lying and submitting fake documents.

But according to the investigations done by Guta, Zvobgo was communicating with the Judge during the same period a bogus judgement was delivered.

Chinamora also faces other allegations where he was accused of not revealing his conflict of interest.

In a presidential circular issued on Wednesday Mnangagwa stated that he was establishing the tribunal in accordance with recommendations from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

“Now therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the president as aforesaid, I do, by this proclamation establish a tribunal to inquire into the question of removal from office of the Honourable Justice Nicholas Webster Charakupa Chinamora.

“To investigate Honourable Justice Nicholas Webster Charakupa Chinamora’s conduct as alleged in the dossier from the Judicial Service Commission, whether it can be deemed to have been tantamount to gross misconduct; to investigate whether the Honourable Justice Chinamora interfered with the course of justice during the course of his duties.

“To investigate whether Honourable Justice Chinamora presided over matters wherein he had a direct conflict of interest,” read the circular.

Retired Justice Moses Chinhengo will chair the tribunal, which will also include Dr. Gift Manyatera and Clara Phiri as members.

The tribunal is expected to conclude its investigation within five months and make recommendations to the President regarding Chinamora’s suitability to continue holding the esteemed office.

The under-fire judge has denied the allegations against him and has vowed to cooperate fully with the tribunal’s investigation.

However, should the judge be found to have acted contrary to his oath of office, he could join the growing number of serving jurists who have been fired by Mnangagwa in less than five years.

Mnangagwa has fired Justices Francis Bere, Erica Ndewere, Thompson James Mabhikwa and Edith Mushore.

Justice Martin Makonese was forced to resign just as Mnangagwa appointed a tribunal to look into his misconduct claims.

The complainant in the Balwearie Holdings case is languishing in prison after the magistrates Court was allegedly influenced to deny him bail.