One of Zimbabwe’s oldest law firms based in Harare, Wintertons Legal Practitioners, has been fingered and reported to authorities on a case involving the forgery of the will document of the late, Mr Innocent Katsiga whose assets reportedly worth millions of dollars remains mysterious under their control.
To date Wintertons have avoided answering questions on the whereabouts of the late Mr Katsiga’s original will, only referring our reporter to an employee in the firm who is not a lawyer, one Bongani Machirori. Senior lawyers of the firm have refused to respond to questions with secretaries referring this publication to the said Mrs. Machirori.
Alwyn Pichanick –
When contacted by phone, Machirori further fanned the flame of controversy as she refused to answer and referred our reporter back to her bosses.
“I am an employee. I cannot answer questions,” she told our reporter.
Despite Wintertons’ Pichanick being named as Executor, the case was delegated to Machirori, the firm’s clerk, ZimEye can reveal.
“The original will is with the Master Of The High Court,” she stated. But efforts to get the original will through the Master have been futile.
“Can you phone our office numbers. I am not the right person to talk to,” she said contradicting her own bosses who had referred our reporter to her as the one handling the matter.
When asked about details of the distribution of the estate and in particular the assets and liabilities account, she replied:
“Who is concerned about that?”
“I cannot answer questions., ” she reiterated.
But when contacted by this paper on Monday, the firm’s senior partner Alwyn Pichanick, said he knows nothing of the matter and only Machirori knows better. “I don’t know anything about it I am afraid,” he said. Surprisingly, Mr. Pichanick is the named Executor in the controversial will yet he referred our reporter to the law firm’s clerk.
“Our estates are handled by Bongani Machirori,” he added
A High court lawsuit on the late Mr Innocent Katsiga’s will that has three vividly different signatures of the same deceased person covering the single determining will document, has been opened. Sasha Katsiga, 9, the deceased’s son, who was kicked out of his father’s house two days after his father’s burial by the other customary law wife of deceased, has been living in a rented dilapidated single room with his biological mother despite his father’s estate having houses, flats, assets and cash worth millions which include considerable cash stashed in UK bank accounts, is the main complainant in the case.
Sasha who attends Hartman House and rides public transport to school has been inconvenienced as his father’s estate proceeds remain not fully and openly accounted for to the satisfaction of his welfare and needs. Matching interim relief has not been available through Wintertons. His sibling who also attends the same school, Hartman House, and lives at the Gunhill house still enjoys the same quality of life he enjoyed prior to his father’s death. His father left a fleet of cars and yet Sasha has been given an immobile decrepit vehicle that needs costly mechanical repairs. He receives a paltry $400 to use for his upkeep per month through the High Court guardian’s fund. To date, a copy of the original will, reportedly left in the custody of Wintertons has, despite inquiries by interested family members, not been made available to surviving family members either through Wintertons or Master of the High Court.
“With this puzzle in my brother’s estate and this secrecy shrouding the estate proceedings, in case this file gets closed without proper accounting, the welfare of the kids will be my responsibility. To date we don’t know what’s going on in this estate. As of last week some assets had not been added to the file. I suspect these white law firms are using black folks as their front to milk deceased estates. That’s why Pichanick is referring everyone to Machirori who boasts of having worked in the Master’s office in the High Court at Harare for years. When I spoke to her over the phone she claimed that she knows the Master, some judges and people in high places and we were wasting our time as this matter would be heading nowhere. Is this the way the legal system in Zimbabwe now works? I would be surprised if this is the first or last estate with such controversy. I would appeal to all parties prejudiced by Wintertons on related matters to step forward for possible class action” Said Victoria Katsiga, the deceased’s sister.
In terms of the Administration of Estates Act, the original copy of the will should be in the hands of the Master of High Court and the Executor of the estate. To date, only photocopies have been furnished without any leads to the whereabouts of the original copy of the will. This has raised many questions in the estate.
Despite efforts by Gutu and Chikowero law firm who are representing Sasha Katsiga and surviving siblings demanding transparency to establish the true book value of estate assets, or at the least to secure meaningful interim relief and transport for Sasha, Wintertons have flatly refused to cooperate or share any information with anyone. Per information supplied to ZimEye, even the UK account details have remained undisclosed.
This case is reportedly suspicious in that a certain Mrs. Nwadu, who signed the will as a witness, occupies one of the deceased estate properties and also works for Wintertons which is unethical according to standards. The only clue remains the deathbed wish by the late Innocent Katsiga to surviving siblings to have all assets handled on open table together with values through Wintertons. Today, estate values and all transactions have remained a secret. Almost two years later, the assets administration remain a puzzle and the case is about to be closed and the estate finalised.
This story is the 2nd in a series of articles on Wintertons law firm Money, and Estate Scandal.
26 Replies to “Wintertons Legal Practitioners Fingered in ‘Forgery of Will’”
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Machirori uriwhaga rekupedzisira gororo to say the least. AG itayi basa apa close this law firm before vabira vanhu vakawanda. Kana iwho hutsinye nhay Nwadu unonzwa segi vanhu vese vachichema newe uchigara imba isiri yako basa kubhema blambi dzemavheti zvisekuru izvo palunch time. Nxaa mhani.
Anambwa ana Wintertons vanokohwa nepavasina kurima tibvire , endai munofa. Original Will remufi makaisa kupi. Ko anonzi Nwadu key witness pa Will arikuitei mumba memufi mwana wake achishaya pekugara. Ivo vamunoti Amai Machirori mu Satanist chaiye, musatanyoko wenyu nechikambani chenyu chembavha chinoba zvinhu zvevafi.
This reads like a movie script. Who is the Director of the Show for us to vent our anger lest there is an an anti-climax to this drama.
Thanks for exposing winterton
Main culprit in this issue is Beverly zindi one of his widows she is the one conniving newinterton and most of the things she is sighted as the beneficiary Wat then puzzles me is why then is she not cooperating with family members to the extent yekutora peace order yet hembe hadzina kugovewa work camp is running yet winterton is saying yakacloser. The forged will yakanyora nesunday innocent akafa nemonday tanga ya signwa nguvai on a Sunday toda mhinduro Beverly newinterton
Beverly wakaisepi will you are the one conniving namachirori. Work camp wakaba how much more do you want
Hey Zimeye why don’t you organize a call flood and have people call this law firm from everywhere in the world at all business hours until they come clean. Flash phone mob!!! Just a thought.
This lady named here goes to church with my mom and even my mom said she gave her the impression she is a lawyer. She acts really holy and prayerful just like most of these catholic people that’s why l stopped going there. I read this to my momz and she was not surprised, she just said that answers it.This lady thief and her cronies should go to jail. This family should petition office of the president, this doesn’t look like its just her and her firm. Looks like a syndicate.
Does this mean this law firm is being run and ruined by this Machirori lady? I think I know this person. My mother attends mass with her at the Roman Catholic church somewhere in Mabelreign. She seemed like a decent lady wani? Very jovial and respectful. Is this her other side of life? I am shocked because she is really prayerful.
Ummmm question Bla d*d* are you applying ur same hate white man mantra to all whites including u own beloved BILLY RAUTENBACH please say it is so
I agree with bla Miki, Machirori is like a goddess here at the master’s office, she decides what’s to be done that’s why wintertons keep her she gives them big business and for sure anodya nemajudge. I know info about this file l can forward you some if it. There is a lot that happens here and at times you feel like exposing all this but you know noone will listen to you. Thanks to this paper for exposing them. Machirori is a big thief she should be arrested even the life she leads some lawyers won’t match. Amai ava imbavha hombe! Rough pamusoro pazvo.
I have seen thieves before but this is serious , Wintertons stealing from the deceased, im so shocked. Picharnick and this called Mai Machirori should go to jail. They should be an example to others that the properties of the deceased are not to be stolen to benefit their children. This property should go back where it belongs as soon as possible . These people are really witchcraft and their licence should be cancelled completely. Picharnick should go back where he belongs. I really felt pity for the suffering child of the deceased whilst their is a lot of assets and cash left behind. Please keep us posted on this matter.
Thanks Zanele, I agree with you. “I have a white doctor, white lawyer, attend a white school, bla bla bla. This is nonsense. Remember, once white, always white. No white man here in Zimbabwe will ever smile at you unless he has something to gain from you. The past style racism is still here but they want our money now. Be it a priest, driver, pilot, messenger etc etc. Minister Kasukuwere is right. Empowerment is the way even if we fail to run our own things because what’s the point to encourage people to exploit us? I feel sorry for this Machirori lady because her name has been the talk of the Master’s office for years and she is believed to be describing herself as wise enough not to be caught yet she channels big business from the Master’s office desk to Wintertons as money changes hands. At the same time she runs a small estates company in the city for half of the day. What is going on here? This law firm must be checked because many widows live in fear of these bus-shell lawyers and their black front faces who rob innocent people. We will see how this case goes.
muchinyanya kumhanyira malawyer echirungu muchisiya abiya enyu. Birwai. Bob akagara ataura kuti vanhu veganda jena ava havaite. Wake up mhani
Bertram Tarbett are you saying just because Wintertons have Machirori as their face saver makes them saints from hiding a copy of the original will and letting the kid stay in a bungalow when a Wintertons employee occupies deceased property. And you call that confidentiality? You need psychiatric evaluation and mental help because your reasoning is that of a dinossaur. Based on this report I would ask the following questions:
1-where is the copy of the original will after the said years?
2-why is that child being ounished yet his father left so much wealth?
3-why is Pichanick delegating work to Machirori yet he is the one to take charge and ensure prompt professional help?
4-A Hartman House kid lives in a bungalow and rides public transport as his dad left a fleet of cars and to you this is normal?
5-I am told this law firm has other issues to answer as well on other people’s estates. The names are here with me I could send them to the ZimEye editor once I speak with the family to confirm the deeper details of this prominent company Director who left them with a copy of his will and they squandered his estate and took advantage of his surviving wife and kids.
Bertram check in with the Annex at Andrew Flemming Hospital and secure a bed. You are mental to say the least.
The story is shocking, It’s my first time to hear that big firms like Wintertons commit such offences. I think they are trying to revenge the Land reform and run away with money. I feel pity for the little boy who is being deprived of his father’s wealth by these cruel lawyers. This Nwadu was given accomodation for putting the signature so don’t blame her because she wanted somewhere to stay. The main fault is on Pichanic, he is a white collar thief and should be arrested with immediate effect. As for Nwadu she should move out of the house and give the little boy space. Whites are wicked, you should always know that. You should choose lawyers who fear ngozi not this Pichanic. We would like to know the end of this story Editor so pliz keep us informed with your paper which gives us latest news. Vanhu ngavasungwe vese vari mudhiri rekubira vanhu vakafa. Vanobira vapenyu vari nani chaizvo. I think Wintertons used to do that in past and succeed. I don’t think this is their first case of fraud.
Ya vele ngibhale ngamasibomu ngisazi ukuthi ukhona wena u teacher wama corrections. Uzokhona ukuhlala ubhekana nama spelling abhalwa ngabantu na?
Usuthengile ama “bungles” wena s’febe u had run out, the stupid Jumpkaka shud stop lending you some coins to spew your garbage here! Look at your spelling of indigenization sihlama and u will notice that you are an idiot!
Kikikikikikiki the confused Greyhole is now in favour of indignazation.
Don’t be silly wena Greyhole,you don’t even have a lawyer. Just shut up if you have got nothing to say
ZANU PF law firm.
Wintertons is FULLY Indigenised . It employs Zimbabweans of ALL ethnic backgrounds and it cannot betray the Client Lawyer confidentiality by disclosing private information which will then be shared on a public platform via the internet.
Imbwa dzevanhu, kuba zvinhu zvakashandirwa nemunhu wavasingazive. Machirori wacho ngaazive pekugumira nekuti ari kuzvitorera ngozi, haafanire kudya zvinhu zvemunhu waasina rudzi naye. Iye Pichanic wacho ngaasungiswe. Iyo wamuri kuti Nwadu anogopihwa pekugara sei mwana wemufi achishaya pekugara. Malawyer emazuvano haasi ekutrusta munosiya vana vachitambura vatorwa vachidya zvemapenzi. Vanhu vese vanodeala nelaw firm iyi torai zvinhu zvenyu zvisati zvabiwa. Ko law society iri kupi vanhu vachibirwa nemalawyer kudai.
Pane nyaya apa.this law firm.should.be investigated thoroughly.
Lawyers cannot be trusted to handle family estates in the absence of a close family member. So the likes of Nakedog, Jumpdog and Pumpdog must each make sure they entrust their paltry estates of one-room Makokoba shacks, one bicycle and baboon urine collection accessories in the hands of the MLO, in the event of their likely death by sikokiaan intoxication.
What these Winterdonkeys are doing is deplorable, they must be indigenized or be sent back to whichever hole they came from! Point of correction to the reporter though, the Machirori is indeed a lawyer, having worked at the high court for years. A clerk/secretary cannot be entrusted to handle such big matters, however being a lawyer herself I think she has landed herself in some deep legal sheet!