By A Correspondent- The Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) has taken a keen interest in reports that rich and politically exposed persons are bribing their way to obtain law qualifications at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).

Section 53(g) of the Legal Practitioners Act provides that the LSZ shall encourage and promote the study of law and jurisprudence.

Last month, a UZ law degree examination paper leaked, lifting the lid on corruption at the faculty.

Students at the university had previously clashed with lecturers at the law faculty over the Bachelor of Substantive Laws (BLS), where the recent exam paper leak was traced to.

Harare police provincial intelligence officer Superintendent Vigai Maunganidze is out on bail following his arrest after he was  allegedly caught with a leaked UZ law examination paper.

It is alleged that Maunganidze, who was supposed to sit for the exam, shared the paper via WhatsApp with Madombi, a Defence ministry official and third-year BLS student at UZ.

Madombi allegedly shared the examination paper with Zanu-PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi.

LSZ said it was demanding answers over reports of corruption in the law faculty at UZ.

The LSZ has not been formally made aware of the alleged examination leakage at the UZ law faculty,” LSZ corporate communications officer Richard Chidza said in an emailed response to The Standard on Friday.

“The Society has, however, taken the initiative to write to the university requesting further information on the alleged leakage and the extent thereof in order to take an informed position on the issue.”

Section 53(g) of the Legal Practitioners Act which gives the Law Society of Zimbabwe the statutory objects for its existence provides that the Society shall encourage and promote the study of law and jurisprudence.

Under the Legal Practitioners Act, the LSZ regularly visits law faculties across the country to assess the content and structure as well as administration of the law degree.