GWERU — Zimbabwe Lawyers’ Association (Ziloa) president Leopold Mudisi has quit the Public Service where he was employed as a public prosecutor, to join private practice following his long-drawn legal battle with Attorney-General Johannes Tomana.
Mudisi was suspended three months ago alongside four other Ziloa leaders after Tomana initially withdrew their practicing certificates accusing them of spearheading industrial action by law officers last year.
Although the five contested the decision and won a High Court reprieve to continue practicing, Tomana declined to reinstate them.
Instead, Tomana launched a court challenge and reassigned the Ziloa leaders to lesser duties with Mudisi being stripped of his area prosecuting assignment to becoming an ordinary court employee.
Mudisi, a qualified lawyer, confirmed that he had joined Chidawanyika and Partners in Gweru following his fallout with Tomana.
“The suspension letter allows us to look for employment elsewhere while we wait for the processes, so in the meantime I have joined private practice,” he said.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
The move comes amid reports police officers had taken over as public prosecutors at most public courts throughout the country due to the “brain drain”.
A close source told NewsDay the prosecution department in Midlands province and elsewhere in the country was heavily understaffed with Gokwe Magistrates’ Court reportedly having to contend with one prosecutor and four magistrates while Kwekwe has four magistrates and three prosecutors.