HARARE, Zimbabwe – A High Court judge in Zimbabwe, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, is currently under investigation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) following allegations of sending inappropriate WhatsApp messages to a married court clerk. The inquiry was initiated after the clerk’s husband reportedly intercepted the messages and filed a formal complaint with the JSC, chaired by Chief Justice Luke Malaba .
Screenshots of the alleged exchange, which have been reviewed by media outlets, indicate that the communication began with Justice Kwenda expressing that he missed the woman. The conversation is said to have progressed to include sexual innuendo. One message from the judge reportedly stated, “I miss you,” to which the clerk responded, “Really?” The dialogue continued with the clerk inquiring about vacation duty, prompting Justice Kwenda to reply in Shona, “Ne case yembudzi iyoyi (With this goat case),” seemingly referencing a case involving goats. The clerk’s subsequent response, “Yaa pange paipa, I hope tools down now,” was allegedly met with the judge’s retort, “..and tools in,” followed by a “see no evil” monkey emoji. The visible portion of the exchange concludes with the clerk reportedly laughing and asking, “Kkk in where?”.
The exact number of messages under review by the JSC remains undisclosed. This alleged communication reportedly occurred just days after Justice Kwenda delivered a significant judgment in the corruption trial of prominent businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu. On December 8 of the previous year, Justice Kwenda sentenced the pair after their conviction for using fraudulent documents to secure an US$88 million tender from the agriculture ministry for the supply of goats.
In response to the complaint, legal sources indicate that Justice Kwenda has argued that the clerk’s husband violated his privacy by intercepting the messages. Conversely, the court clerk has reportedly informed the JSC that “nothing happened” between her and the judge. Chief Justice Malaba is tasked with determining whether judicial misconduct occurred, which could lead to disciplinary action against Justice Kwenda if the allegations are substantiated.
This incident draws parallels to a 2021 case involving Justice Thompson Mabhikwa, who was ultimately removed from the bench. Mabhikwa’s dismissal stemmed from a romantic involvement with a judge’s clerk at the Bulawayo High Court. The scandal unfolded when the clerk reportedly accessed his phone while he was asleep, discovered his involvement with other women, and subsequently circulated nude images found on the device to a judges’ WhatsApp group. This led to disciplinary proceedings and his eventual removal as a judge.
Both Daniel Nemukuyu, spokesperson for the JSC, and the husband who filed the complaint have declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
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