Biti assault victim concludes testimony

LOCAL businesswoman Tatiana Aleshina has concluded her three-month-long testimony against Citizens Coalition for Change vice- president Tendai Biti whom she accuses of verbally assaulting her.

She claims Biti verbally assaulted her at the Harare Magistrates Court in …..after she had attended a court case involving her employer.

While testifying, Aleshina told magistrate Vongai Guwuriro-Muchuchuti  that when Biti confronted her, she felt that her life was in danger as she had never experienced anything like that in her life.

Biti's lawyer Alec Muchadehama asked Aleshina several questions which he had asked before but Guwuriro ordered the lawyer not to repeat questions saying if he was done with his cross-examination, he should indicate it in court to allow the proceedings to proceed.

"If you don't have questions Mr Muchadehama you can say so, you are repeating the questions which you have already asked. I am adjourning so that you identify questions which you have not asked before," Guwuriro told the lawyer.

After adjournment, Muchadehama indicated that he had finished and prosecutor Michael Reza then started re-examining the witness.

She told the court that his reaction showed that he was not happy to see her at the court on the day.
Tatiana Aleshina

She said Biti had asked the court why she stood while the court was in motion.

Aleshina said she was actually happy to be at the court on that day as they had won a High Court case against Biti's client. She suggested maybe that could have incensed the opposition leader.

She said the words uttered by Biti were humiliating and embarrassing to her as a woman.

The magistrate then postponed the matter to next week Wednesday for the continuation of trial.

Another witness is expected to testify against Biti.

Biti is denying the charges.