admin
Prosper Dembedza
Court Correspondent
Tendai Biti’s bid to delay trial in his assault case has hit a brick wall after his application for the postponement was dismissed.
Biti is facing allegations of manhandling a Russian investor during an altercation outside the Harare Magistrates Court.
His lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama had submitted to the court that trial should not commence since they have filed an appeal against Justice Tawanda Chitapi’s ruling at the Supreme Court which has a pending determination.
Mr Muchadehama submitted that trial should not start until the Supreme Court makes its determination which Mr Reza opposed.
Mr Reza argued that the defence wanted a permanent stay of proceedings and the permanent recusal of himself and the magistrate.
Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro deferred the matter to April 11 for trial commencement.
Proceedings in this matter were stayed last year by the High Court after Biti approached it seeking the recusal of both the trial magistrate Mrs Guwuriro and the trial prosecutor Mr Reza respectively on the basis that they were both biased against him.
Online Reporter