A local lawyer landed himself behind bars after allegedly pocketing cash meant for a property settlement. Martin Chirwa faced court charges for snagging over $15,000 from a client's divorce deal. Authorities say he scooped up the money through multiple collections from his client's ex-wife's legal team.
Chirwa grabbed funds from Sansole and Senda legal practitioners across several pickups, eventually amassing $16,400. The money originated from Isabel Mpala, who wanted to buy her ex-husband's portion of their shared Emganwini home. Magistrate Maxwell Ncube remanded the lawyer until April 8, setting the stage for a legal showdown.
Prosecutors revealed the scheme began during a November 2021 divorce settlement meeting. Denford Gwizi attended with Chirwa representing him, while Mpala had her legal representation. They drafted an agreement splitting property, with a key focus on their $30,000 house. Mpala would pay Gwizi $15,000 for his half, and he would move out within three months.
Chirwa collected payments across multiple instances. First, he nabbed $10,000 in January 2022, signing receipts but never passing the cash to Gwizi. He repeated the trick in February, grabbing $3,200 from additional payments. Another collection in March netted him $1,100 plus 1,500 South African rand.
The scam unraveled when Mpala tried evicting Gwizi after the agreed timeframe. When confronted, Chirwa denied receiving any payments, leading to his court appearance. His alleged theft breached the trust placed in him as a legal representative, transforming a straightforward property settlement into a criminal investigation.
Chirwa grabbed funds from Sansole and Senda legal practitioners across several pickups, eventually amassing $16,400. The money originated from Isabel Mpala, who wanted to buy her ex-husband's portion of their shared Emganwini home. Magistrate Maxwell Ncube remanded the lawyer until April 8, setting the stage for a legal showdown.
Prosecutors revealed the scheme began during a November 2021 divorce settlement meeting. Denford Gwizi attended with Chirwa representing him, while Mpala had her legal representation. They drafted an agreement splitting property, with a key focus on their $30,000 house. Mpala would pay Gwizi $15,000 for his half, and he would move out within three months.
Chirwa collected payments across multiple instances. First, he nabbed $10,000 in January 2022, signing receipts but never passing the cash to Gwizi. He repeated the trick in February, grabbing $3,200 from additional payments. Another collection in March netted him $1,100 plus 1,500 South African rand.
The scam unraveled when Mpala tried evicting Gwizi after the agreed timeframe. When confronted, Chirwa denied receiving any payments, leading to his court appearance. His alleged theft breached the trust placed in him as a legal representative, transforming a straightforward property settlement into a criminal investigation.
