Gospel musician Ivy Kombo, who, alongside her husband Admire Kasi, is being accused of fraudulently acquiring a conversion certificate to practice law in Zimbabwe, has said she is merely a victim who is being punished for the incompetence of authorities.
Prosecutors contend that the pair acquired the certificates without writing the requisite examinations.
Kombo, who is represented lawyers Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza, said she received the conversion certificate from the Council for Legal Education, signed by High Court judge, Justice Sylvia Chirau.
Kombo said as she had gone through what she thought were all the required steps to acquire the document, she did not thought the responsibility to prove its authenticity was hers.
According to the allegations levelled against the gospel singer and her husband, the two allegedly approached one Shorai Tafadzwa Mupunga, a CLE official to assist her in registering and writing the conversion examinations.
Mapunga then told them that she could help them acquire the certificates without sitting for the exams. This would be made possible by paying off Huggins Hardwork Duri, the now suspended executive secretary for CLE.
The two had then paid him $1100 to help them acquire the certificates.
In court, Mupunga, denied that Kombo had knowledge of any plan to acquire the certificates illegally.
“I met accused 1 when she came to see me at Ranch House. She had gone to our offices but I wasn’t there. I was invigilating at Ranch House exams there so that’s where we met. We never had a conversation about buying the conversion certificate.
“I know she filed an application form. The form is used by those who either want to register to write conversion exams or apply for the exemption certificate. She completed all the processes.
“I didn’t attend the meeting where the CLE board deliberated the applications. I also do not have the minutes so I don’t know what transpired.” she told the court.
The trial continues.
That’s zim for us
Ndozvaataura here…?
How many doctorate degrees have been issued by the UZ to politicians for mahala ? People who can’t pronounce the word election. People who struggle to construct a meaningful English sentence and they Doctorate degrees and some claim to be lawyers who studied in Zambia
Ze Nith aiwe zviya zvema Doctorate zvopiwa vanhu vachembera kutendwa chete Kuti panezvakaitawo munyika hazviwanisi Basa zviDigree zvacho …..Thomas Mapfumo unoti rake doctorate robatsirei
Prosper Gumbo there is an HONORARY doctorate degree . Ndiro rinopihwa vanhu vachembera asi vakaita zvinhu zvinobatsira community or nyika like Thomas Mapfumo’s, etc. It’s just an HONOUR nothing academic. Then there’s the academic degree which was awarded to Grace Mugabe and Chiwenga. Grace Mugabe degree issue is still in the courts and don’t be surprised too if Chiwenga’s is brought to the courts too when he leaves office
Ze Nith zve msangano mbhavha dziya…..unoziva here Kuti corruption iri munyika medu yaita kuti education yedu itarisirwa Pasi pasi rese…..vanhu hobho vava nephd ekupitenga muZim saka nyaya dzana kombo dzonetsa regai tione kwazvosvika