A HARARE lawyer yesterday appeared in court charged with defrauding a client US$13 000.
Bornwell Balamanja (43), of Hlabano Law Chambers, was remanded out of custody to September 29 for routine remand.
Prosecutor Zororo Nkomo said that on multiple occasions between 2020 and 2023, Tendai Mwariwangu, 51, who is based in the United Kingdom, would hire Balamanja to deal with her cases.
It is alleged that Mwariwangu first hired the accused in early 2020 and paid him US$7 300 to pursue both criminal and civil cases against one Edward Ruzvidzo.
Balamanja allegedly converted the money to his own use after lying that she had won the case.
Sometime in 2022, the complainant again engaged Balamanja to pursue her other case involving a shipping company called Lake Superior which is based in Eswatini.
Balamanja received US$4 030 after lying to the complainant that he was working on the case.
The court further heard that during the same year, the complainant engaged Balamanja to pursue another case against Enock Mungiriya.
He was given US$1 735 for the services.
Court papers indicate that in 2023, Balamanja was again instructed to sue one Tafadzwa Mwariwangu.
Balamanja allegedly served the complainant with fake summons and demanded to be paid.
The court further heard that Mwariwangu realised that Balamanja had been lying all along and reported him to the police and Judicial Service Commission.