Biti assault trial postponed

The assault trial of Tendai Biti failed to continue today and was deferred to October 27.

Biti is facing charges of manhandling a Zimbabwean investor Mrs Tatiana Aleshina at the Harare Magistrates Court.

On Tuesday, Deputy Prosecutor General Mr Micheal Reza told the court that he will not entertain anything that has to do with Augur Investments or events that took place during the 2018 harmonised elections.

Mr Reza said this while opposing Tendai Biti's application for postponement of his assault matter to October 26.

Biti through his lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama, applied for the matter to be postponed to October 26 saying they needed time to organise their documentary exhibits in chronological order.

Mr Reza opposed the application saying it was just a tactic to annoy the court.

"Your worship the record before you has now grown old. We are now in the third month with the accused person making the same application.

"I am not going to respond to documents that talk about Augur investment or events before 2020, I am not interested," said Mr Reza.

During the previous sitting Mr Reza complained to the court that Biti was trying to smuggle in irrelevant evidence which has nothing to do with an assault matter.

Biti brought in issues concerning the Airport road construction and the contract between Augur Investments and the City of Harare which Mr Reza objected to as irrelevant in an assault matter.

"Your Worship, Augur Investments is not involved in this assault case therefore its agreements with the City of Harare have nothing to do with this matter," said Mr Reza.

He added that Biti's application was meant to annoy the State or the court so that an application for recusal is made.