Biti assault case: State accuses legislator of ‘hoodwinking’ court with immaterial evidence
Harare- LEGISLATOR Tendai Biti’s assault case has taken a new twist with the State complaining that he is making an attempt to ‘hoodwink’ the court through smuggling irrelevant evidence divorced to the case he is answering to, Express Mail Zim can report.
Biti is answering to assault charges where he is alleged to have manhandled a Zimbabwean investor Tatiana Aleshina at the magistrate court in 2020.
On Tuesday, Biti submitted issues of the Airport Road construction contract entered between Augur and City of Harare, a matter which is divorced from the assault case in question.
Deputy prosecutor Michael Reza however questioned the relevance of this submission.
“Your Worship ,Augur Investment is not involved in this assault case therefore it’s agreements with City of Harare have nothing to do with this assault case,” said Reza.
He added:
” I thought I had heard everything until today where a 2020 assault case is reffered back to irrelevant things that happened in the 20th century.”
Reza further submitted that Biti’s application was designed to frustrate and ‘armtwist’ the State so that an application of recusal is made.
Presiding magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti concurred with the State and advised Biti to submit issues which are relevant to the assault case.
Biti has made relentless efforts with the same application bemoaning infringement of rights.
Meanwhile, observers from within the legal fraternity told Express Mail Zim that the firebrand politician was being used as a pawn in a battle between property mogul Ken Sharpe and his erstwhile business partner George Katsimberis who gave Biti instructions to act as defence counsel in their legal battle.
“It is clear that Biti who is a close friend of Katsimberis to the extent of giving him cars to use, is being used as a pawn in a bigger game of chess.
“Biti is a sharp lawyer himself and bringing issues that are not relevant to the current assault case point out to influence of a third force who I believe is Katsimberis.
“Knowing him (Biti) as we do , he is preoccupied in consolidating his political hegemony rather than triviality.
“It’s pretty clear Katsimberis is bankrolling this whole drama and this destroys investor confidence.
“Imagine , a potential investor reading about an alleged assault case against an investor?;” said a legal expert who preffered anonymity.
