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Chronicle Reporter
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has launched a probe into the alleged love affair between Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa and a judge’s assistant Ms Oratile Nare, which resulted in nudes of the judge being leaked and circulated on social media.

The investigation follows nude pictures and vulgar WhatsApp messages, allegedly from Justice Mabhikwa’s phone circulated by Ms Nare at the weekend.

It has since emerged that an online publication wrongly identified the alleged Justice Mabhikwa’s lover.

The publication used a picture of a National University of Science and Technology student Miss Uratile Nare and not Oratile Nare.

In a statement, Miss Nare said she was not in any way linked to the case.

“Firstly, my name is Uratile Nare and not Oratile Nare who I am not related to. Secondly, I do not work for the Judicial Service Commission as I am a third year student at one of the local universities and I am completing my attachment in Harare, Zimbabwe. Third and finally, I have never met or interacted with Justice Thompson Mabhikwa, neither do I know him,” said Uratile.

She said she was contemplating taking legal action against the publication to clear her name.

“The article carried my picture implying that I was the ‘irate lover.’ This is purely fake news. This misleading and completely distorted information was published on various social media pages and newspapers including ZiMetro and zwnews. Such frivolous reporting has a direct impact on my reputation which has been besmirched and is causing damage to my career which I have painstakingly built with years of hard work. Not to mention the trauma, gross pain and suffering I am experiencing as a result of the false story.”

According to JSC code of conduct, it is unethical for a boss and a subordinate to engage in an affair.

It is alleged that Justice Mabhikwa and Oratile, who is Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva’s assistant, have been involved in an affair.

Oratile became jealous after she saw the raunchy message and nudes sent to a rival by Justice Mabhikwa.
Out of anger, she reportedly forwarded Justice Mabhikwa’s exchanges with the other woman to almost all his contacts, including a judges’ group.

In a statement, JSC said it is now investigating the matter.

“The Judicial Service Commission has taken note of the offensive material circulating on various media platforms and the alleged relationship between a member of the Judiciary and a member of the support staff. The Commission wishes to advise that investigations into the matter are underway and the public will be advised of the results thereof in due course,” read the statement.

Oratile is said to have gone through Justice Mabhikwa’s phone and discovered that the judge had sent pictures of his private parts to another woman only identified as Petty or Patie.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Oratile refused to comment, saying that matter is before the JSC.

“I have nothing to say at the moment because the matter is being handled by the JSC,” she said.

Justice Mabhikwa’s phone was not reachable.