MARTIN MAWAYA
A Gweru magistrate has found Takunda Manjokota guilty of embezzling US$15,000 and misrepresenting himself as a registered lawyer.
Magistrate Arnold Maburo delivered the judgment on Thursday, stating that the state had successfully proven its case against Manjokota.
He is set to be sentenced after a mitigation hearing scheduled for January 20.
The court heard that Manjokota posed as a registered lawyer and persuaded Gweru businesswoman Lindiwe Moyo to hire him for her divorce case against her ex-husband, Mthonzima Moyo.
He further convinced Lindiwe that she would pay him US$1,500 for his services after receiving the divorce settlement.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Manjokota received the money through his account in Zimbabwean dollars, equivalent of US$15,000, which he then misappropriated for personal gain.
During the investigation, Manjokota initially claimed he had transferred the $15,000 back to Mthonzima’s account.
He later altered his defense, saying he used the money to pay for the estate of one Mrs. Purazi.
The state led by Taurai Mavuto added that the full US$15,000, equivalent to $16.5 million local currency at the prevailing bank rate of that period, was never recovered.
Manjokota faced charges of theft of trust property and practicing law without being registered, in violation of the Legal Practitioners’ Act.
