Biti’s trial hits brick wall as magistrate falls ill

Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent

The assault trial of Tendai Biti today hit a brick wall following revelations that the presiding Magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro is not feeling well.

Biti is facing charges of assaulting businesswoman and investor Mrs Tatiana Aleshina at the Harare Magistrates Court in 2020.

On Monday, Biti said that he did not physically assault Mrs Aleshina.

Submitting his defence, Biti told the court that putting the charge on him as done by the State is invalid from a common law point of view.

He said it was an infringement of his constitutional rights.

“Your Worship, if you say I am an idiot, I will just laugh at you because the word means nothing to me,” said Biti.

He added that if the court was to also say he is a witch, he would still not take it seriously.