TOP Harare lawyer and an advocate of the superior courts Thabani Mpofu believes his hard stance on corruption has made him a target of malcontents seeking to soil his image as a legal practitioner and judges of superior courts under the guise of anonymity.
This follows a recent anonymous letter addressed to the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission which dragged his name and that of High Court Judge Munangati- Manongwa alleging a conflict of interest.
Advocate Mpofu has on a number of occasions exposed corrupt actions in the courts where his name has been dragged which has made him a subject of attacks by contrast unhappy individuals who have resorted to writing anonymous letters.
The anonymous letter alleged that Advocate Mpofu was being briefed by the Judge’s former law firm, Munangati and Associates adding that the cases were being heard before her at the High Court.
In a letter to the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission dated November 21, and copied to the Judicial Services Commission Secretary, Mpofu and his brother Skumbuzo through their lawyer Admire Rubaya said the commission should not be “used and abused” by cowards who hid behind anonymity while berating the good standing of the bench and the bar through baseless allegations.
They said whoever harbours a genuine grievance against them should summon the courage to confront them openly, rather than “skulking in the shadows like a coward.”
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Advocate Thabani Mpofu said he will not be deterred by such “bogus and fabricated assaults” and will remain steadfast in his professional calling and will continue to represent, with vigour and integrity, the clients who choose him as their lawyer of choice.
“The so-called complaint is nothing more than a brazen, calculated attempt to scandalise our clients and the Honourable Judge. It is advanced in a factual vacuum, utterly devoid of evidence to support the alleged conflict of interest.”
“Our client, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, has taken an unwavering and public stance against corruption. That principled position has evidently made him a target for bogus, fly‑by‑night lawyers and opportunists who thrive in the shadows of corrupt activity. Their smear is not only malicious but also a backhanded compliment — it confirms that his anti‑corruption advocacy is striking precisely where it hurts,” the letter reads.
In the letter the Mpofus’ lawyer said they are aware of the individuals behind the said complaint adding that they are corruption driven and seeking to drag their names.
“ The individual – or perhaps the cabal behind this anonymous missive, together with their handlers – plainly lack the fortitude or moral standing to engage the Mpofu brothers directly on any substantive issue. Instead, they skulk in the shadows – under the embarrassing guise of anonymity – harassing our clients on social media and now abusing the offices of ZACC with this baseless charade.”
In the letter, Rubaya said the alleged matters which are said to have been argued by Advocate Mpofu or his brother are nowhere near them and the one matter which Advocate Mpofu was briefed was never heard before Justice Munangati Manongwa.
“The allegations collapse factually – they are false, fictitious, fabricated, fraudulent, fallacious, and fundamentally untrue. They rest on no evidence, no record, and no reality. To dignify them with serious consideration would be to elevate a mirage into substance.”
According to the letter Judges do not self-allocate matters as it is done administratively adding that claiming judges should not hear matters emanating from their previous workplaces is unthinkable adding that it is an absurd premise seeking to cripple the administration of justice.
It is their argument that the said anonymous complaint is a targeted job against Advocate Mpofu while Skhumbuzo and Justice Munangati-Manongwa are collateral damage.
“For the record, whilst we hold no brief for the Honourable Judge, it should be obvious to any person of reasonable intelligence that Justice Munangati-Manongwa retains no interest whatsoever in Munangati & Associates, having severed all ties upon her esteemed appointment and elevation to the High Court bench.
“One is compelled to ask if a judge is to be deemed conflicted merely for adjudicating a matter connected to their former firm, what then becomes of our entire judiciary and legal system?
“Must every former prosecutor recuse themselves from all matters involving the State? Should every former legal officer from the AttorneyGeneral’s office be barred from hearing cases that involve the Government and/or any of its agencies?”
Advocate Mpofu recently raised an anomaly in a case he was said to have appeared yet he was never there and never briefed.
“What remains is the desperate act of a bitter loser: one who, having failed to prevail on the merits of their own cases, now seeks to “play the man” instead of “playing the ball.” The attack is false, fictitious, fabricated, fraudulent, and fundamentally flawed. It collapses under the weight of its own emptiness,” the letter reads.