could not look back to her children she had left me with as she had re-married. Instead she was spending the money on her new family. After being troubled by this problem, I spoke to others who advised me to approach the Legal Advice Centre. They promised me that at this office my problems would come to an end. Indeed I came and I was assisted with everything free of charge and this helped me so much that today I am now able to look after my grandchildren, paying all outstanding school fees, clothes and food. Honestly, I was assisted with respect, keep it up you help us a great deal.” • During a prison visit to Plumtree Prison, LRF lawyers interviewed a minor malewho had been in custody for five months without trial. This meant that he was effectively serving before he had been found guilty by the courts. The centre lawyer made an application for bail at Plumtree Magistrates’ Court but bail was denied when the State declared that a trial date had been set for 21st October. On the date of the trial the young man appeared, represented by LRF and was told that the matter would now be postponed to 17th November as there was no magistrate available. On 17th November the matter was not heard as the State papers were not ready and the State witnesses were absent. An appeal was made to the High Court against the refusal to grant the LRF’s client bail. The matter was heard on 8th December, when the State again opposed bail, stating that the matter was set for trial for 10th December. Since the State had not notified the LRF of this, despite the fact that they were aware that LRF was representing the minor child, the judge ruled against the state, granting bail to the minor child. The judge also took into account the fact that the young man had been incarcerated for eight months. • The LRF’s client had been married for 12 years in an unregistered customary law union when she was evicted from the matrimonial home by her husband without anything except the clothes she was wearing. The husband, a soldier, had so intimidated her that she would not attempt to get her clothes from their shared residence. She approached LRF Masvingo and was assisted with summons for the sharing of property on the basis of unjust enrichment. She received a judgment in her favour and the LRF is now assisting her with the writ of execution so that she can fully benefit. • The LRF assisted a mother of three minors married in terms of the unregistered customary law union. The client’s husband approached the civil courts in Mutare seeking to evict her and the minor children from their matrimonial home in Dora. Legal representation was provided and the court dismissed the husband’s claim because the three minor children were still attending school and to move them would cause serious disruption to their education. The court also ruled that as the client’s husband had not offered alternative accommodation for her or the three children eviction would be tantamount to throwing them on the streets. One of the client’s children said: “We would like to thank you for the great job you did, May God’s power which resides in you help others as well”. • Client M in Masvingo suffered injuries through electrocution by ZESA cables. Through LRF’s intervention an out of court settlement was reached and ZESA offered to pay $7,000 in full and final settlement of the claim against the $10,000 which LRF had claimed on behalf of client. The client accepted the offer of $7,000. 28