The trial of gospel musician Ivy Kombo and her husband Admire Kasi who allegedly fraudulently acquired fake certificates to practice law in Zimbabwe started yesterday before Harare magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka. The couple is represented by Shylet Mapanje and Admire Rubaya.

Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje led the first witness, Joe Zimba, who is the finance and administrative manager at the Council for Legal Education. Zimba said the third accused person Huggins Duri, was the superior at the organisation when the alleged crime was committed. He told the court that Duri, whose duties included creating contracts and organizing meetings for the Council of Legal Education, was responsible for sending the list of certificates for printing at Fidelity Printers.

The State tendered the application form which is alleged to have been submitted by Kombo as evidence before the court. Zimba told the court that the couple’s names did not appear on the consolidated schedule list for August 2022 which carries names of students who sat for the examination. Zimba said if the name did not appear on the list, it was an indication that one did not write the examination.

He noted that if one passed the examination, it would be highlighted on the schedule list. The court heard that Kombo and Kasi’s names did not appear on the students’ collection list for those who successfully passed the examination, indicating that they did not pass the examination.

Zimba denied that one can obtain a certificate if their name does not appear on the certificate collection schedule. He expressed ignorance over where Kombo and Kasi obtained their certificates to practice law. Kombo denies committing the alleged offense in her capacity or connivance with anyone in the manner alleged or at all.

The defense argues that Kombo was exempted from writing the examination since she had a master’s in law degree acquired at a university in 2014. Rubaya said at the time Kombo engaged the Council for Legal Education there were no conversion examinations for students who had a master’s in law degree.

He further argued that Kombo was advised by a Council for Legal Education official, only identified as Ncube, that she was eligible for exemption since she was a holder of a master’s in law degree.

In other news – Zim Women’s National Cricket Team beats Botswana by 115 runs

Zimbabwe women’s national cricket team thrashed Botswana by 115 runs in their second match of the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa in Uganda.

The win, their second in the tournament, may just be enough to book them a place in the semi-finals on the back of a healthy run rate regardless of whatever happens in their final Group A match. Zimbabwe opened their final Qualifiers campaign with a 62-run win over Kenya on Saturday and take on Tanzania tomorrow in their final Group A encounter. Read More