By A Correspondent | In a shocking turn of events, ZimEye News Network has uncovered disturbing revelations about the arrest of Huggins Hardwork Duri, who was allegedly involved in a scam issuing fake legal practice certificates. Despite being apprehended for criminal abuse of office, Mr. Duri was never truly detained and was granted bail on the very first day he appeared in court.
According to the latest information disclosed to ZimEye, Huggins Duri, the Council for Legal Foundation executive secretary, who is accused of dishing out bogus legal practice certificates to 19 undeserving individuals, including Pastor Admire Kasi and his wife Ivy Kombo, was allowed to walk free on bail immediately after his initial court appearance. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the justice system and the severity of consequences faced by corrupt individuals in Zimbabwe.
What makes this situation even more alarming is that Huggins Duri is reportedly leveraging his connections to the First Family, being the son of a late confidant, to intimidate authorities. He is allegedly threatening to name-drop high-ranking individuals in the legal profession, which could potentially hinder a fair investigation into the extent of this scandal and those involved.
The background of the story reveals that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) stumbled upon this elaborate scam after receiving a tip-off from an individual who was supposed to write a conversion examination. The Council for Legal Education is the body responsible for regulating legal education and training in Zimbabwe, including administering conversion examinations for foreign legal qualifications.
According to the State’s case, on June 19 this year, Duri had a meeting with students who had completed their law studies at the University of Zimbabwe as part of a bridging program after obtaining legal qualifications from foreign universities. During this meeting, Duri allegedly offered to help these students bypass the conversion examination required by the council.
Following this meeting, on June 20, Duri met with the informant and promised to assist him in obtaining the certificate needed to register as a lawyer. He even suggested that the informant should register for the examination and pay a hefty fee of US$560, assuring him that Duri would ensure he received the certificate, regardless of his performance on the test.
However, the informant, realizing the seriousness of the situation, reported the matter to Zacc on June 21, leading to Duri’s arrest while he was receiving the money. Zacc’s investigation revealed that Duri had fraudulently issued 19 certificates to various individuals, some of whom were already practicing as legitimate lawyers, posing a significant threat to the reputation of the legal profession in Zimbabwe.
The ease with which Mr. Duri was granted bail, coupled with his reported threats to name-drop influential figures, has raised concerns about the impartiality and effectiveness of the legal system in dealing with cases of corruption and abuse of office. The public demands answers and accountability for such acts that undermine the credibility of the legal fraternity and the nation as a whole.
ZimEye will continue to closely follow this story and bring you further updates as they unfold. It is essential to shed light on such corruption and ensure that justice is served without fear or favor, regardless of one’s connections or status.