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Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correpondent
Just a few months after losing a bid to have Deputy Prosecutor General Mr Michael Reza recuse himself from a fraud case he is facing, property developer George Katsimberis is now alleging that the prosecutor received a bribe from the complainant.
Katsimberis is facing a charge of defrauding Pokugara Properties of US$1 million in a botched deal after he built a showroom in Borrowdale using an unapproved building plan, resulting in the structure being destroyed by Harare City Council.
The builder, who is being represented by Advocate Tinomudaishe Chinyoka in his application for referral to the High Court, accused Mr Reza of having been paid by the complainant to prosecute his fraud case.
The allegations prompted Mr Reza to ask the accused to present proof before the court, that he was being paid by the complainant to prosecute the matter.
Mr Reza requested that Katsimberis state the amount he was allegedly paid and accused Advocate Chinyoka of leading his client into making defamatory utterances against him.
Magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti said she would not interfere in the matter, saying when the time came, the record would speak for itself.
During the previous sitting, Mr Reza told the court that the fraud trial of Katsimberis might not end anytime soon because of postponements.
He said this after Advocate Chinyoka had submitted that he wished for a postponement of the matter since he was not feeling well.
Responding to the submissions by Advocate Chinyoka, Mr Reza said the history of this case was littered with postponements.
“With the pace at which we are going with this matter, I don’t think we will be able to finish it during our lifetime,” he said.
Online Reporter