Fraud-accused moonlighting lawyer fights for survival
Drags employers to court
Lawyer Monika Angula has been accused of "unprofessional, dishonourable and unworthy conduct".
Monika Angula of Monika Angula and Associates Incorporated is dragging her two former employers to court for accusing her of fraud, theft and having deceived their clients.
In 2021, Dr Weder, Kauta and Hoveka (WKH) Incorporated and Ellis and Partners summoned Angula for a disciplinary hearing on charges of fraud, wilfully deceiving the court and other legal representatives as well as theft.
According to them, Angula was a full member of the Law Society of Namibia while committing these alleged crimes, and should be charged with unprofessional, dishonourable and unworthy conduct.
The first incident reportedly took place in 2017 when she worked for Ellis and Partners and allegedly took instructions to assist a client for them, but instead opened a file on WKH’s accounting system without their consent.
She then channelled payments to Atrox Consulting and Manufacturing, in which she has a stake, they said.
Angula stands accused of repeating this between November 2017 and 29 March 2018, when she worked for WKH, invoicing most of the work she did to Atrox.
Luring clients away
Ellis and Partners also accused Angula of luring their clients away while she worked for them, promising them better hourly rates.
“[From] 3 April 2018 until 12 June 2018, Angula, whilst being in the employ of Ellis and Partners, invoiced clients from her work computer for private work done in competition with her employer, and subsequently attempted to delete all records of her conduct - which includes emails to and from clients as well as documents relating to those clients,” a statement read.
She has also been accused of having invoiced clients on behalf of her former employers for a portion of work done while invoicing the clients from Atrox for the bulk of the work.
In cahoots
In her founding affidavit, Angula accused disciplinary committee chairperson Carli Schickerling and the initiators of the matter of being in cahoots.
According to her, this relationship extended to the point where they appointed Schickerling as a consultant, and that she failed to disclose the nature of this relationship during the disciplinary proceedings.
“I submit that the failure of the acting chairperson to disclose the relationship with the initiator is a vitiating factor that vitiates the proceedings and renders them a nullity.”
Angula also pointed out in court documents that she was not accorded a fair opportunity to defend herself because she was not given sufficient time and not provided with the necessary documents.
The matter will be back in court next month.
[email protected]
In 2021, Dr Weder, Kauta and Hoveka (WKH) Incorporated and Ellis and Partners summoned Angula for a disciplinary hearing on charges of fraud, wilfully deceiving the court and other legal representatives as well as theft.
According to them, Angula was a full member of the Law Society of Namibia while committing these alleged crimes, and should be charged with unprofessional, dishonourable and unworthy conduct.
The first incident reportedly took place in 2017 when she worked for Ellis and Partners and allegedly took instructions to assist a client for them, but instead opened a file on WKH’s accounting system without their consent.
She then channelled payments to Atrox Consulting and Manufacturing, in which she has a stake, they said.
Angula stands accused of repeating this between November 2017 and 29 March 2018, when she worked for WKH, invoicing most of the work she did to Atrox.
Luring clients away
Ellis and Partners also accused Angula of luring their clients away while she worked for them, promising them better hourly rates.
“[From] 3 April 2018 until 12 June 2018, Angula, whilst being in the employ of Ellis and Partners, invoiced clients from her work computer for private work done in competition with her employer, and subsequently attempted to delete all records of her conduct - which includes emails to and from clients as well as documents relating to those clients,” a statement read.
She has also been accused of having invoiced clients on behalf of her former employers for a portion of work done while invoicing the clients from Atrox for the bulk of the work.
In cahoots
In her founding affidavit, Angula accused disciplinary committee chairperson Carli Schickerling and the initiators of the matter of being in cahoots.
According to her, this relationship extended to the point where they appointed Schickerling as a consultant, and that she failed to disclose the nature of this relationship during the disciplinary proceedings.
“I submit that the failure of the acting chairperson to disclose the relationship with the initiator is a vitiating factor that vitiates the proceedings and renders them a nullity.”
Angula also pointed out in court documents that she was not accorded a fair opportunity to defend herself because she was not given sufficient time and not provided with the necessary documents.
The matter will be back in court next month.
[email protected]
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