A Harare lawyer who presents himself as “Prophet Advocate Joshua” has been found guilty of professional misconduct after a series of lewd messages directed at fellow lawyer Fadzayi Mahere on a WhatsApp group for advocates.
Joshua John Chirambwe was found guilty by the Law Society of Zimbabwe after its Council considered Mahere’s complaint, Chirambwe’s written responses and the messages posted in the “Advocates of Zimbabwe” group. The complaint centred on remarks made on 15 January 2024 under the name “Young Money”.
The disciplinary finding was communicated to Chirambwe in a letter dated 2 October 2026 from LSZ Executive Secretary Edward Mapara. The letter said the Council had considered the matter at its meeting on 27 August and concluded that Chirambwe’s conduct was inappropriate.
“Council noted that you were inappropriate in your advances and on the WhatsApp platform,” Mapara wrote.
“Council resolved that you be found guilty of unprofessional conduct and that you be asked to mitigate.”
Chirambwe has been given 14 days from the date of the letter to make submissions in mitigation before the Council decides the sentence. Mapara warned that if he does not respond within that period, the Council will proceed to deliberate on the sentence without further reference to him.
The finding brings to an end a disciplinary process that began after Mahere complained that messages posted in the advocates’ group were unprofessional, dishonourable and lustful. The messages included a reference to a woman the writer said he adored and a separate description of another woman as being “sweet enough to make sugar”.
In the message at the centre of the complaint, the writer said: “You see … there is this woman I adore beyond words-lets say I’m rather fond of Fadzi.”
The message continued: “And there is another lady in this group, whose elegance could give royalty a run for their money. Her character? Sweet enough to make sugar but how can I approach them?”
Mahere said the messages amounted to sexual harassment and had no place in the legal profession. She told the Law Society that earlier messages of the same nature had caused her to leave the group before she later returned to it.
“Previous messages of this nature caused me to exit the group. I have attached copies of the said messages to this complaint for your attention. They are published under the moniker ‘Young Money’,” Mahere said in her complaint.
“It is my humble view that such sexual harassment has no place in the legal profession.”
“I therefore lodge this complaint in terms of, inter alia, clause 3(23) of Sl 37 of 2018 and request that disciplinary action be taken against this legal practitioner,” she said.
The Law Society said the complaint pointed to a possible breach of By-Law 3 (23) of the Legal Practitioners (Code of Conduct) By-Laws, 2018, which requires lawyers to treat professional colleagues with courtesy, respect and fairness. It also cited part 6.2.1 of the Law Society of Zimbabwe Sexual Harassment Policy, 2024.
That section defines the prohibited conduct as “unwanted or unwelcome sexual attention of an offensive nature made by a person who knows, or reasonably should know, that the attention is unwanted or unwelcome and the person to whom it is made may conclude that the conduct was intended to offend, humiliate, disrespect or degrade him or her.”
Chirambwe was first formally notified of the complaint on 31 January 2025 and was given 14 days to respond. His response was then made available to Mahere for further comment. Nearly 20 months later, the Council reached its finding of guilt.
The case has placed fresh attention on the professional life of a lawyer who has built a public identity well beyond the courtroom. Chirambwe was born Joshua John Chirambwe and is an advocate of the superior courts of Zimbabwe. He is based in Harare and publicly describes himself as an advocate, businessman, chairman, preacher and father.
He is associated with the Justice Bar of Advocates, where he has served as chairman since 2023. His public professional profile says he has worked across labour law, family law, criminal law, commercial law, human rights law, constitutional law and international law. It also lists experience as a corporate, labour and civil lawyer, an advocate of the superior courts and a certified legal intern.
Before establishing himself as an advocate, Chirambwe worked as a prosecutor at Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Court. He later served as a certified legal intern at Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court and worked at a Harare law firm in corporate, labour and civil matters. He also practised at Temple Bar Advocates Chambers before taking up his current role at the Justice Bar of Advocates.
His academic background is in law. His public profile records a Juris Doctor degree from Midlands State University, where he studied criminal law. It also lists awards for law writing and academic performance, including recognition for an essay on disability rights in Zimbabwe in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Outside legal practice, Chirambwe has promoted himself as a preacher and prophet. His public ministry identity uses the name Prophet Advocate Joshua, combining his religious work with his legal title. His online profiles describe him as a preacher, author, poet, businessman and advocate involved in prophecy, healing and deliverance. He has also presented the Justice Bar of Advocates as a professional platform under his leadership.
That mixture of law, public ministry and business has made Chirambwe a distinctive figure in Harare’s professional circles, even though he is less widely known than Mahere. The disciplinary finding now puts his conduct in a lawyers’ WhatsApp group at the centre of his public profile.
Mahere, meanwhile, is a prominent lawyer and former Member of Parliament for Mount Pleasant. She served as spokesperson for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change and has addressed international audiences on Zimbabwe’s political situation. Her political career ended after she resigned from Parliament during the bitter internal dispute that followed the rise of Sengezo Tshabangu, who claimed the position of CCC secretary-general.
The dispute between the two lawyers began in a professional forum but moved quickly into a formal regulatory process. The group was made up of legal practitioners, and the complaint was handled through the same body responsible for setting professional standards and dealing with misconduct by members of the profession.
The Law Society’s own disciplinary framework states that professional rules exist to protect accountability, integrity and public trust in legal practice. Its code requires practitioners to meet ethical standards in their dealings with colleagues, clients and the courts. The 2024 sexual-harassment policy has added a specific framework for dealing with conduct that crosses the line from personal expression into unwanted or degrading attention.
The timing of the case has also given it added weight. The Council’s decision came after a lengthy process in which the complaint, the messages and Chirambwe’s response were considered before the finding was issued. The next stage is mitigation, followed by sentencing, which will determine the professional consequences for the Harare advocate.
Chirambwe previously rejected Mahere’s complaint in a strongly worded written response. He said he was married and had no reason to seek companionship outside his marriage.
“I am happily married to my esteemed wife, Mukudzei, a woman of exceptional qualities. She is not only a distinguished legal practitioner but also a devoted mother to our two children, Beyonce and Chloe. In light of this, I find no reason to seek companionship outside of my marriage.”
He also denied making any reference to Mahere and questioned the basis of the complaint.
“Before responding to a ghost story, one must first ascertain whether the ghost exists. I cannot be expected to explain a dream I never had.”
The Law Society has now rejected that position in its professional finding, ruling that Chirambwe’s advances on the WhatsApp platform amounted to unprofessional conduct. His response in mitigation will determine what follows, but the guilty verdict has already turned an exchange between two members of Zimbabwe’s legal profession into a formal disciplinary case against a lawyer known publicly as Prophet Advocate Joshua.