Fuzwayo
has
announced
withdrawal
from
the
case,
citing
a
sustained
smear
campaign
and
mudslinging
by
his
critics.
Highly-placed
sources
say
Nqobani
Sithole
of
Sithole
Law
Chambers
and
Method
Ndlovu
of
Apex
Legal
Group
of
Advocates’
were
paid
US$225
000
each
and
will
keep
their
money,
since
the
client
withdrew
the
case
on
their
own.
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:
“They
will
keep
their
money
since
the
client
withdrew
on
their
own.
There
will
be
no
refunds
to
Ibhetshu
LikaZulu.
When
the
case
started
Sithole,
as
instructing
lawyer,
looked
for
an
advocate
and
initially
choose
a
Harare
lawyer
from
Advocates’
Chambers.
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withdrawn.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.
With
this
new
development,
the
situation
is
fast-changing
but
the
money
will
remain
with
lawyers.”
Ndlovu
last
week
withdrew
from
the
case,
citing
a
breakdown
in
trust,
reputational
risk
and
lack
of
payment.
However,
The
NewsHawks
found
out
and
confirmed
–
through
documents
–
that
he
had
been
paid
US$225
000.
Post
published
in:
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