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Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correspondent
The trial for builder George Katsimberis continued today with his lawyer Advocate Tinomudaishe Chinyoka telling the court that they have filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court.
Katsimberis allegedly duped Pokugara Properties (Pvt) Limited of close to US$1 million in a joint venture to build cluster houses in Harare’s Borrowdale suburb.
Advocate Chinyoka said the relief being sought relates to the fact that they seek stay of proceedings pending review of a ruling by Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro Muchuchuti who dismissed their application for her recusal.
Katsimberis, who has been in and out of court with all proceedings being done in English, on Monday made another request for a Greek interpreter in his fraud trial. Katsimberis is expected to give evidence in that application.
Last week Harare regional magistrate Mrs Guwuriro Muchuchuti dismissed an application by Katsimberis who wanted her to recuse herself from presiding over his fraud trial.
In his application, Katsimberis argued that the magistrate forced him to proceed to trial without the lawyer of his choice.
He also alleged that the magistrate was biased and hostile towards him as she kept dismissing his applications.
In her ruling, Mrs Guwuriro Muchuchuti said if the court is in a hurry to dispose of a matter, that cannot be considered as bias. She said the dismissal of applications by the court is a question of law and therefore not a biased move.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter