Lawyers
involved
in
Matabeleland
pressure
group
Ibhetshu
LikaZulu
and
one
of
its
leaders
Mbuso
Fuzwayo’s
Constitutional
Court
bid
to
block
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s
term
extension
are
at
each
other’s
throats
over
legal
fees
involving
US$450
000,
well-informed
legal
sources
say.
The
highly-placed
sources
say
Nqobani
Sithole
of
Sithole
Law
Chambers
and
Method
Ndlovu
of
Apex
Legal
Group
of
Advocates’
fight
intensified
after
the
latter
hastily
withdrew
his
legal
services
yesterday,
citing
a
breakdown
in
trust,
reputational
risk
and
lack
of
payment.
Sithole
was
the
instructing
lawyer
and
Ndlovu
the
advocate
in
the
case.
The
bill
for
the
whole
project
was
US$450
000
which
Ibhetshu
and
Fuzwayo
settled.
The
money
was
initially
supposed
to
be
equally
divided
among
three
senior
lawyers,
including
Sithole
as
the
instructing
lawyer,
Ndlovu
as
the
advocate
and
another
advocate
from
the
Advocates’
Chambers
in
Harare
who
later
withdrew.
A
top
legal
source
told
The
NewsHawks:
“When
the
case
started
Sithole,
as
instructing
lawyer,
looked
for
an
advocate
and
initially
choose
a
Harare
lawyer
from
Advocates’
Chambers.
It’s
not
necessary
to
drag
his
name
into
this
since
he
withdrew.
However,
their
negotiations
broke
down
as
the
advocate’s
fees
were
astronomically
high.
He
wanted
US$450
000.
Yet
US$450
000
was
the
whole
budget.
So
Sithole
then
approached
Ndlovu
with
a
US$150
00
offer.
But
when
the
money
was
out
and
ready
for
collection,
Ndlovu
took
US$225
000;
US$75
000
more.
Sithole
took
the
balance
since
the
preferred
advocate
had
withdrawn.
Now
the
problem
is
Ndlovu
wants
more
money,
claiming
US$450
000,
the
whole
budget.
This
is
the
source
of
the
current
fight,
the
other
issues
arise
from
this.
Trust
broke
down
because
of
money,
including
the
recently
leaked
audio
concerning
(former
minister)
Jonathan
Moyo.
The
reputational
risk
Ndlovu
is
taking
about
regards
his
view
that
he
took
a
case
which
he
knew
would
perhaps
damage
his
reputation,
but
was
willing
to
brave
it
at
the
right
price.
Resultantly,
Ndlovu
got
US$225
000,
but
wants
more.
This
has
fuelled
the
already
simmering
tensions
and
explosive
legal
wrangle.”
The
dispute
between
Sithole
and
Ndlovu
may
open
a
Pandora’s
Box
of
legal
and
political
issues
with
far-reaching
implications
for
Zimbabwe.
The
legal
battle
between
the
two
is
deeply
intertwined
with
the
debate
on
the
controversial
constitutional
amendments
that
extend
Mnangagwa’s
term
and
change
the
political,
electoral
and
governance
systems.
Sithole
is
said
to
be
protesting
against
Ndlovu’s
letter
after
he
withdrew
throwing
tantrums.
Sources
say
Sithole
thinks
the
letter
was
written
to
pre-empt
his
move
to
terminate
Ndlovu’s
services
after
a
confidential
conversation
between
them
yesterday.
The
sources
say
the
two
had
agreed
on
a
process,
which
would
have
entailed
Sithole
officially
writing
to
Ndlovu
this
morning,
then
waiting
for
his
reply
before
a
professional
and
mutually
agreed
disengagement.
Instead,
Ndlovu
pre-empted
the
process
to
extricate
himself
by
writing
the
letter
and
leaking
it
to
the
media
before
it
was
received
and
acknowledged
by
Sithole,
the
sources
say.
Sithole
took
exception
to
that
and
contents
of
the
letter,
particularly
Ndlovu’s
claim
that
he
has
not
been
paid.
The
ensuing
fierce
battle
between
Sithole
and
Ndlovu
also
entangles
another
lawyer,
Zibusiso
Ncube,
who
played
a
critical
liaison
role,
including
fielding
a
phone
call
to
Moyo,
which
was
later
leaked
to
the
media.
The
sources
said
all
hell
broke
loose
after
Sithole
moved
to
remove
Ndlovu
from
the
case
following
the
recent
controversy
over
Moyo’s
audio.
Ndlovu
says
in
his
letter
Moyo
is
the
“principal
architect
of
the
litigation”.
Sources
say
Moyo
disputes
this
and
has
taken
issue
with
Sithole
and
Ndlovu,
and
may
make
a
public
denunciation
of
the
two.
Moyo
has
already
denounced
Ncube
and
Ndlovu
over
the
leaked
audio,
which
has
given
the
case
a
new
political
dimension.
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