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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent

Harare Provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro-Muchuchuti yesterday reprimanded a lawyer with Mutumbwa Law Firm, Milliscent Moyo after she sought a postponement for her client’s case saying the lead counsel had travelled to South Africa for medical attention while in actual fact he is in the country.

Mrs Moyo is representing George Katsimberis in a fraud case after he allegedly built a showroom in a joint venture agreement in Borrowdale using a fraudulently acquired building plan.

The magistrate dismissed the application for a postponement saying Katsimberis had other lawyers who are sitting on the bar and ordered that the trial to proceed after lunch without fail.

However, lead counsel Tinomudaishe Chinyoka who was somewhere in Harare heard that his client will be subjected to trial in his absence and he arrived in court at around 2pm to the surprise of the State.

Chinyoka tried to control the damage by saying he is leaving late the same day as there was a miscommunication with Moyo.

But the magistrate said Chinyoka had failed to submit documents that he is leaving the country but only submitted a medical test from Lancet Laboratory that he is unwell.

However, the magistrate reprimanded Moyo saying she is an officer of the court and that it was a misconduct to lie in court.