HIGH Court Judge, Justice Webster Chinamhora, who was facing allegations of corruption, has resigned rather than face a tribunal, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has confirmed.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday appointed a tribunal to investigate the suitability of Justice Chinamhora to continue holding office following the compilation of a dossier by the JSC alleging a litany of transgressions during the course of his duties.
The JSC alleged that Justice Chinamhora could have engaged in gross misconduct, interfered with the course of justice and presided over matters in which he had a direct interest.
Acting on the recommendations of the JSC, Mnangagwa picked Justice Moses Chinhengo to chair the tribunal, and he was set to be assisted by senior lawyers Gift Manyatera and Clara Phiri.
The terms of reference for the tribunal were to inquire into the matter of the removal of office of the judge, to investigate his conduct as alleged in the JSC dossier and to see whether it could be deemed to have been tantamount to gross misconduct.
It was also going to investigate whether Justice Chinamhora interfered with the course of justice during the course of his duties, whether he presided over matters wherein he had direct conflict of interest and consider all information submitted by the JSC in order to arrive at an appropriate recommendation to the president.
However, Justice Chinamhora threw in the towel just days after the setting up of the tribunal. JSC public relations manager Daniel Nemukuyu confirmed that Justice Chinamhora had resigned and that steps were now being taken to notify the relevant authorities. “We can confirm that Justice Chinamhora has resigned.
He tendered his resignation letter yesterday (Thursday). As JSC, we are forwarding the letter to the president, who is the appointing authority,” he said. — New Ziana