Biti convicted of assault

Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent

Harare Magistrate, Mrs Vongai Guwuriro, has convicted Tendai Biti after she found him guilty of assaulting businesswoman and investor Mrs Tatiana Aleshina at the Harare Magistrates Court sometime in 2020.

The judgement came after close to four years of trial.

In her ruling, the magistrate said the witnesses corroborated with each other in material facts which strengthened the complainant’s evidence.

Mrs Guwuriro said it is not in dispute that the words were uttered on the day in question.

She said the incident happened a long time ago and the witnesses might not remember the exact words as they were said by Biti.

“The accused cannot talk of perpetrators of assault who are not before the court,” she ruled.

The Magistrate went on to say that a law that is in existence must be complied with.

“The accused’s strategy of raising constitutional issues on piecemeal has not paid him,” she said.

Biti during trial denied ever assaulting the complainant.

The matter has been rolled over to tomorrow for mitigation.