► Judge Francis Bere of Zimbabwe; ethical troll Print
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Judge Francis Bere of Zimbabwe; ethical troll

 

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed a tribunal to investigate Judge Bere’s fitness to hold office after a lawyer accused him of interference in a civil case. (Tony Karombo)

 

This isn’t the first time that Judge Bere’s conduct warranted an investigation. The prior matter involved a conflict of interest that was filed by Meikles chairman, John Moxon.

 

The instant ethics complaint, lawyer Itai Ndudzo of Mutamangira and Associates, acting for the Zimbabwe Road Administration says the Judge Bere called him on his phone requesting that he settle a civil dispute between the roads agency and a company called Fremus Enterprises, a company that is owned by Bere’s relatives.

 

Lawyer Itai Ndudzo”s ethics complaint, sets out the following facts regarding the conversation he had with Judge Bere.

  • “The learned judge indeed contacted me telephonically.”
  • “The commercial dispute between my client (Zinara) and Fremus Enterprises Pvt Ltd was discussed in the course of the conversation.
  • “The learned judge’s relatives are co-directors of Fremus Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd. The learned judge inquired whether or not there would be possibility of payment being expedited to Fremus (Pvt) Ltd.”
  • “I declined the request and the conversation ended abruptly on that note.”

All that remains now is to see how long it takes for Judge Bere to admit his guilty and voluntarily resign his judgeship before the investigative tribunal appointed by President Mnangagwa recommends that he be removed.

 

As we speak (ca. (August 2020), Judge Bere has been temporarily suspended while awaiting a decision from President Mnangagwa whether to order his removal from the bench.