- Admission obtained through fraud and forged documents, court rescinds order.
- LPC records showed no service, no exams passed, and no valid clearance.
- The court orders a referral to the NPA and the surrender of the admission certificate.
The High Court in Pretoria has set aside Reza Bhayat’s admission as a legal practitioner after finding that his enrolment was secured through fraud, forged documents, and deliberate misrepresentation.
The Legal Practice Council of South Africa, the statutory regulator of the legal profession, brought an application to rescind an earlier order granted on 21 January 2025 that had admitted Bhayat as an attorney and authorised his enrolment on the roll.
Judge A Millar, with Judge E Van der Schyff concurring, found that the admission should never have been granted. The court observed that admission as a legal practitioner “marks the end of a journey on a road paved with expectation, hard work and study.”
Although Bhayat initially moved to oppose the application, he ultimately chose to abide by the court’s decision and did not meaningfully challenge the fraud allegations made against him.
What the LPC uncovered
The LPC’s investigation revealed three fatal defects in Bhayat’s admission, each of which independently disqualified him.
First, there was no record that his application had ever been served on the LPC, despite documents suggesting otherwise. The court accepted that the LPC stamp on his application was not authentic and had not been applied by any official.
Second, Bhayat had not passed the required competency-based examinations. Records showed that although he had registered, he never sat the exams. The court noted, “He did not write any of the examinations.”
Third, the letter of no objection presented to the court was fabricated. The individuals whose names appeared on it had either left their positions or had never issued any such approval.
The court found that none of this was the result of administrative oversight. These were deliberate acts. Judge Millar stated, “He forged several documents … and presented them as authentic to both the LPC and the Registrar of this Court.”
Court findings on fraud and conduct
The court found that Bhayat misled multiple parties throughout the admission process, including his own counsel and the judges who presided over his admission. Judge Millar recorded, “He misrepresented … that he had complied with the provisions of the LPA and was entitled to admission.”
The judgment reinforces the principle that fraud destroys the validity of judicial outcomes. The court was unequivocal, stating that “Fraud and justice never dwell together.”
The court also addressed Bhayat’s failure to respond substantively to the allegations, making clear that silence in the face of a compelling case carries decisive weight. As the judgment records, “An unanswered prima facie case is a proven case.”
Judge Millar also criticised Bhayat for failing to appreciate the gravity of what he had done.
Order and consequences
The court rescinded the admission order granted in January 2025 and directed Bhayat to surrender his certificate of admission. Should he fail to comply within the prescribed time, the court authorised the sheriff to seize the certificate.
The court also ordered that the full record be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for consideration of possible criminal prosecution arising from the fraud and forgery.
The seriousness of the misconduct was further reflected in the costs order, with Bhayat directed to pay costs on an attorney and client scale.
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