Katsimberis stands on his own in latest application for live coverage of trial

Prosper Dembedza

Herald Correspondent

The lawyer representing builder George Katsimberis advocate Lewis Uriri has distanced himself from his client’s latest application to have live coverage of his fraud case.

Katsimberis is facing charges of defrauding a local land developer of close to US$1 million in a housing deal involving Borrowdale cluster houses.

Advocate Uriri told the court that Katsimberis was making the application himself.

In the application, Katsimberis said live coverge would be good for both parties and for members of the public so that they know the justice system.

However, Deputy Prosecutor Mr Micheal Reza opposed the application and said he would respond fully on November 9 since he wasn’t told or notified about it.

Allegations are that on June 15, 2016, complainant entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with the accused for the construction of residential premises at Stand number 19559, Harare Township, Borrowdale, Harare.

Katsimberis then produced stamped architectural plans to the complainant purporting that they had been approved by the City of Harare and also that he had been given the green light to commence construction.

The court heard that the complainant initially took it in good faith that the stamped plans presented to him by accused, were genuine until when the accused failed to perform according to the contract leading to the cancellation of the agreement on the 11th of January 2018.

Upon further due diligence and inspection of the house which had been constructed by the accused, it was discovered that the type of materials used in the construction of the model house, was not recommended by the City of Harare and its construction was never supervised. The accused person had fraudulently concealed these latent defects.

It is the State’s case that the complainant made enquiries with the City of Harare to establish if the approval of the accused’s plans was genuine and he was informed that the plans were not in their records, nor were they ever approved through normal procedure as they had not been circulated in its relevant departments for approval as the norm. The City of Harare letter signed by its Director of Works Engineer Chawatama and dated 8 July 2019 may be produced in court as Exhibit.”

The City of Harare further ordered the building to be demolished as it had been erected without its approval and had been constructed using sub standard materials.

The court heard that the complainant suffered a potential prejudice in the sum of US$883 728-48 as a result of the accused’s acts and omissions.