High Court Judge Under Investigation Over Alleged WhatsApp Messages to Court Clerk

The Harare High Court, where Justice Pisirayi Kwenda sits.

A Harare High Court judge is under investigation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) following allegations that he sent suggestive WhatsApp messages to a married court clerk, triggering a formal complaint after the exchanges were allegedly intercepted by her husband.

Justice Pisirayi Kwenda is at the centre of the inquiry after screenshots of the messages were reportedly submitted to the JSC, which is chaired by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

ZimLive has been shown some of the messages, which allegedly begin with Justice Kwenda telling the woman that he missed her, before the exchange drifted into innuendo.

“I miss you,” the judge is said to have written, to which the woman replied: “Really?”

According to the screenshots, the conversation then shifted to work matters, with the woman asking about vacation duty. Justice Kwenda allegedly responded in Shona: “Ne case yembudzi iyoyi” (“With this goat case”), a reference understood to relate to a goats-related court matter.

“Yaa pange paipa, I hope tools down now,” the woman is reported to have replied.

The judge allegedly seized on the wording, responding: “…and tools in,” followed by a “see no evil” monkey emoji.

The final messages seen reportedly show the woman laughing and asking: “Kkk in where?”

It remains unclear how many messages between the two are under review by the JSC.

Timing Raises Additional Scrutiny

The alleged exchange is understood to have occurred days after Justice Kwenda delivered judgment in the high-profile corruption case involving businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu. The pair were convicted and jailed for using fraudulent documents to secure a US$88 million Ministry of Agriculture tender for the supply of goats, with judgment handed down on December 8 last year.

Legal sources say that in his response to the JSC, Justice Kwenda argued that his right to privacy was violated, alleging that the woman’s husband unlawfully intercepted the messages.

The woman, for her part, is reported to have told the commission that “nothing happened” between her and the judge. Chief Justice Malaba is now expected to determine whether the conduct amounts to judicial misconduct. If proven, the matter could result in disciplinary action.

Echoes of a Past Scandal

The case has drawn comparisons to a 2021 judicial scandal that led to the removal of Justice Thompson Mabhikwa from the bench. Mabhikwa was dismissed after an inappropriate relationship with a court clerk at the Bulawayo High Court came to light, following the circulation of private material within judicial circles.

JSC spokesperson Daniel Nemukuyu declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. The husband who lodged the complaint also declined to comment when contacted. The probe has renewed public attention on judicial ethics and accountability, with growing pressure on the JSC to demonstrate transparency in handling allegations involving senior members of the bench.

High Court Judge; Messages to Court Clerk; Justice Pisirayi Kwenda