Mahere reports colleague Joshua Chirambwe to Law Society for making lusty comments about her in an Advocates WhatsApp group
By Mary Taruvinga
Top Harare lawyer Fadzayi Mahere has reported her colleague, Joshua Chirambwe to the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) after he made lusty comments about her on a WhatsApp group.
Among other things, Chirambwe who is also a self-styled prophet said he was āfond ofāĀ Mahere.
āYou seeā¦There is this woman I adore beyond words-lets say Iām rather fond of Fadzi.
āAnd there is another lady in this group, whose elegance could give royalty a run for their money. Her character? Sweet enough to make sugar but how can I approach them? he said in one of the messages which has gone viral,ā reads some of the messages.
In her letter to the LSZ Executive Secretary Norman Mapara, Mahere said this amounts to sexual harassment adding that Chirambwe has been doing this for a long time.
At one time she was forced to exit the group.
āPrevious messages of this nature caused me to exit the group. I have attached copies of the said messages to this complaint for your attention. They are published under the moniker āYoung Money.ā
āIt is my humble view that such sexual harassment has no place in the legal profession.
āI therefore lodge this complaint in terms of, inter alia, clause 3(23) of Sl 37 of 2018 and request that disciplinary action be taken against this legal practitioner,ā she said.
Mapara has since written to Chirambwe stating that he should respond to the allegations in 14 days.
He said what Chirambwe did points to a possible contravention of By-Laws of their profession.
āThese allegations point to a possible contravention of By Laws 3 (23) of the Legal Practitioners (Code of Conduct) By ā Laws, 2018 SI 37 of 2018 and part 6.2.1 of the Law Society of Zimbabwe Sexual Harassment Policy, 2024.- failing or neglecting to treat professional colleagues with courtesy, respect and fairness; unwanted or unwelcome sexual attention of an offensive nature made by a person who knows, or reasonably should know, that the attention is unwanted or unwelcome and the person to whom it is made may conclude that the conduct was intended to offend, humiliate, disrespect or degrade him or her.
āIn terms of the Law Society By-Laws, I am required to inform you of the present complaint, and to require you to reply to the allegations within fourteen (14) days.ā
The matter is yet to be heard.