By Nancy Ndaba | The Law Society of Zimbabwe continues to investigate multiple reports of professional misconduct by lawyer Zibusiso Charles Ncube of Ncube & Partners law firm based in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. These reports stem from about 38 collaborative projects initiated with Sithule Tshuma since 2020, which purportedly amassed a staggering $25 million from victims of the Qoki scam. Operating under the guise of Zindlovukazi, these projects were conducted via a WhatsApp platform and were predominantly overseen by Sithule Tshuma.

Recent developments have seen the directors of Qoki Zindlovukazi, namely Sithule Tshuma, Karen Kumalo, Bridget Dube, Nompilo Moyo, and their lawyer, Zibusiso Charles Ncube, come under intense scrutiny from various state departments, including the Police, Anti-Corruption agencies, and the Law Society of Zimbabwe. Central to these investigations are also professional misconduct and criminal concerns against Zibusiso, ranging from embezzlement of Capital Gains Tax to fraudulent production of Agreements of Sale and Title Deeds.

The Law Society, Police, and Anti-corruption have confirmed receiving numerous complaints of fraud from victims of both Zibusiso and Qoki. Additionally, individuals not directly involved with Qoki have also reported instances of financial misconduct by Zibusiso. One particularly egregious case involves the Airport Road 55-hectare plots, where Zibusiso assumed multiple roles, representing both the seller and the buyer in Conveyancing processes, as well as acting on behalf of investors/victims. Notably, this project comprised two farms, Insukamini Subdivision C of Rouxdale (Title deed number 363/22) and Lot 1 Subdivision D of Rouxdale (Title Deed 427/22), each with distinct Agreements of Sale:

• Zibusiso drafted the Insukamini C farm Agreement of Sale and Title Deeds to victims, selling the land to victims for $414,000.
• Lot 1 Rouxdale D farm Agreement of Sale was also drafted and issued by Zibusiso, selling the farm to victims for $1,080,000.

However, investigations revealed significant price disparities, with the seller’s listed prices being substantially lower ($320,000 for Insukamini and $450,000 for Lot 1 Rouxdale). Despite this, Zibusiso charged victims Conveyancing fees based on inflated prices, pocketing close to $107,325 for this project alone, exacerbating the financial harm inflicted on unsuspecting individuals. All original copies of the Title Deeds are missing at the Deed office and at Zibusiso’s 123a Josiah Tongogara Bulawayo office.

Despite a plethora of criminal investigations and complaints lodged with the Law Society since April 2023, Zibusiso has continued to operate his law firm with apparent impunity, thereby exposing the public to further risk of financial exploitation and misconduct. The ongoing investigation by the Law Society aims to hold accountable all individuals involved in these egregious acts and to safeguard the integrity of the legal profession in Zimbabwe.