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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
The High Court has dismissed an urgent chamber application filed by Tendai Biti who sought to stop the lower court trial pending a determination of an application for review of a discharge which was dismissed by Magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro.
Biti is facing charges of assaulting businesswoman and investor Mrs Tatiana Aleshina in 2020.
His lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama had filed an urgent chamber application before Justice Benjamin Chikowero seeking to stop the lower court’s trial.
The lower court had dismissed Biti’s application for discharge saying he needed to respond to some of the issues raised during the testimonies by State witnesses.
Mrs Guwuriro had ruled that Biti should be put to his defence.
The politician who was not satisfied by the ruling and he then filed for stay of proceedings before Mrs Guwuriro to no avail.
Biti also filed another application at the High Court for a review of Mrs Guwuriro’s verdict which dismissed his application for discharge.
However, Justice Chikowero dismissed the urgent chamber application saying the higher court cannot interfere with an unterminated lower court proceeding.
He urged Biti to proceed to his defence which is already halfway through.
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