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Herald Reporter
PROSECUTORS have raised eyebrows over claims by MDC vice president Tendai Biti that he is in isolation after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19. They accuse him of attempting to delay his trial for manhandling a Russian national as he is being seen in public regularly.
This comes as Biti is on trial before the Harare Magistrates Courts for allegedly insulting and assaulting a Russian national Ms Tatiana Aleshina outside the courtroom but within the complex premises.
Ms Aleshina filed a report with the police and has also lodged two further complaints with the Law Society of Zimbabwe.
Ms Aleshina wants Biti investigated for alleged gross unprofessional conduct and alleges she and her workmates were intimidated and verbally abused outside the court each time they came to court.
However, the trial is failing to take off with prosecutors saying Biti is trying to defeat the ends of justice. Senior prosecutor Mr Michael Reza said when the trial was about to commence last week, his lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama said he was self-isolating.
“I don’t know where the letter was coming from but it was being claimed that Mr Biti came into contact with a person who later tested positive for Covid-19, so when they came to court they were saying Mr Biti was at the courts but could not get inside because he was in isolation.
“The law says if a person has been warned by the courts, if that person is called three times outside and is not there, an arrest warrant is then issued. However, his lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama said it is not necessary since he was in the vicinity of the courts, however, I insisted that the law had to be followed,” Mr Reza said.
According to court officials, Mr Biti was then called to appear before the courts and he came on the orders of the magistrate.
However, after failing to appear before the courts, ostensibly because he was self-isolating, Biti went on to record his party’s anti-Government propaganda. He has also been seen regularly in public despite his claims to the courts.
Biti’s lawyer Mr Muchadehama said he was not aware whether his client is venturing into public places or not.
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