Top lawyer charged with US$33k theft

Prominent Harare lawyer Jacqueline Sande and her firm appeared in court charged with stealing US$33,979. The Daily News reported the case adds to a string of professional misconduct allegations against legal practitioners. The theft charge undermines confidence in the legal profession, which already faces criticism for ethical lapses and political interference. The Law Society of Zimbabwe has yet to comment on the case. The core vulnerability is the erosion of rule-of-law institutions when those entrusted with justice are themselves accused of criminality, weakening public faith in the judiciary.