MBABANE:Nosipho Mazibuko,the Registrar of the High Court is being investigated by the police, she allegedly colluded with Thandeka Hlabangani of Hlabangani and Associates to steal over three hundred thousand Rands(R300,000.00) from the multimillion eState of the late Mathanda Zachariah Magagula.
Documents in possession of this Swaziland News suggest that on or around 25th May 2024, the High Court Registrar signed an alleged fraudulent Legal Bill prepared by lawyer Thandeka Hlabangani in collusion with Executor Phumaphi Magagula, the Bill was then used to transfer the said amount from the eState of the late businessman without the knowledge of the children and other beneficiaries.
A bank statement seen by this publication discloses that, after the preparation of the said Legal Bill and another separate Bill of sixty thousand Rands(R60,000.00), an amount of R360,000.00 was, on the 1st July 2024, transferred to Hlabangani and Associates and at the time, the Trust Account had R2,363,520.39 and after the alleged fraud, the balance was R2,003,520.39.
The children of the late Mathanda Zachariah Magagula are highly expected to approach the court this week with an application after the alleged fraud while “the police handles the criminal aspect” of the matter.
When this publication contacted High Court Registrar Nosipho Mazibuko, he declined to comment about the matter.
But lawyer Thandeka Hlabangani told this publication that, there was literally no fraud in the eState but the R360,000.00 was for services rendered.
“I normally read your articles and I know you are a fair person, you get both sides of the story.There was literally no fraud here but the money was for legal services rendered. What you need to understand is that, in the legal profession there’s also a hierarchy and some lawyers would take-up a matter just because they think, you don’t deserve such amount even if you worked for the money. High Court Registrar Nosipho Mazibuko taxed a genuine not a fraudulent Legal Bill. We are dealing with an eState of a polygamous family here and there are family politics,” said the lawyer.
Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati,the Police Spokesperson, declined to comment.
Represented by SV Mdladla and Associates, the aggrieved children of the late Mathanda Zachariah Magagula are preparing to take Phumaphi Monica Magagula and the lawyer to court over the alleged fraud.
When asked to analyze and share an independent view in the matter, a source within the Judiciary said the Legal Bill does not have a court order awarding the lawyer the costs hence there’s reasonable suspicion that, it was fraudulent.
“A legitimate Legal Bill must have a court date stamp and it must have 1% Taxing Master’s fees payable to Government through revenue stamps that are then attached at the back of the Taxed Bill. Then once you do that, the Bill then becomes legitimate and payable. The Bill signed by Nosipho does not have stamps, court or Taxing Master’s fees which is 1% of the total amount.But apart from that, there’s no court order in the file,” said the source within the Judiciary.
High Court Registrar Nosipho Mazibuko(pic: Linkin).