Staff Reporter
MASERU — A local company has asked the Lesotho Law Society to intervene in its dispute with its former lawyer.
In a letter dated October 22, the Lesotho Public Motor Transport Corporation (LPMTC) said it is dissatisfied with the conduct of Advocate Koili Ndebele who used to represent the company.
LPMTC said it wanted the law society’s “opinion and intervention” on “issues pertaining” to Ndebele’s conduct as a lawyer.
The letter was written Mamosala Mokimiti, secretary to the LPMTC’s board of directors.
Mokimiti alleged that Ndebele “appropriated to himself (legal) costs due to the company and its officials” when he was still LPMTC’s lawyer.
“It is our humble view the costs of the case belong to the client and that no illegal practitioner especially an advocate can and is entitled to appropriate the costs of the client to himself,” she said in the letter which the law society received on October 23.
Mokimiti said when relations were still cordial the company allowed Ndebele to use an office that he is now refusing to vacate.
She said apart from holding on to the office the lawyer is also refusing to pay rent.
Ndebele, the letter alleged, is now representing Moeketsi Tsatsanyane who was removed as a LPMTC director.
Tsatsanyane is still fighting to be reinstated as a director.
Ndebele’s contract with the company was terminated around the same time Tsatsanyane was ejected from the board.
“Since termination of the said advocate’s mandate by the company, he has continued to use the company office space without paying rent while at the same time denied the company officials access to the office space which it previously used and also denied them access to its files,” said Mokimiti.
She alleged that while advocate Ndebele denies the company officials access to the files he has allowed Tsatsanyane to peruse them.
Mokimiti said it is unfair for Ndebele to represent people suing the LPMTC because he had access to privileged information when he was still representing the company.
“Advocate Ndebele continues to prejudice his former client (the company) by representing the opponents and using the company files in his possession and control to fight the company.”
She also accused the lawyer of using LPMTC’s letterhead.
“He has collected rentals due to the company from the company’s tenants while he himself refused to pay the rentals yet he occupies the company premises.”
Ndebele was furious when called for a comment yesterday.
He told the Sunday Express never to call him again.
Before that he had accused the newspaper and its sister publication, the Lesotho Times, of having a vendetta against him.
“Why are you always on my case? What do you want from my life?
“Your newspapers are always writing about me,” charged a furious Ndebele.
When told that he was being called for his side of the story Ndebele became more aggressive.
“You should tell the public that I said you and your newspapers can go to hell. I hate your newspapers.”
When asked to calm down Ndebele started insulting the reporter with unprintable words.
“Never call this number again. Tell your people never to call this number again,” he said before dropping the phone.
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