Biti's former client wants Greek interpreter

In a bid to delay trial, builder George Katsimberis yesterday applied for his fraud trial to be conducted in his mother language (Greek) arguing that he was not familiar with court jargon.

This came after his first application for postponement of the trial was dismissed by Harare Magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro.

In that application, Advocate Tawanda Kanengoni who stood in for Advocate Lewis Uriri had applied that the matter be postponed to April 28, since they had filed an urgent Chamber relief of stay of proceedings at the High Court.

He had also submitted that they intended to apply for the recusal of Mrs Guwuriro, prosecutor Mr Micheal Reza and magistrate Mrs Letwin Rwodzi from the matter.

In dismissing Katsimberis' application for the trial to be conducted in Greek, Mrs Guwuriro said it was surprising that the accused suddenly claimed that he did not comprehend English when in fact he had been communicating using that language in court.

"The court is of the view that the accused's application is a delaying tactic which the court will not entertain," she said.

Mr Reza had opposed Katsimberis' application arguing that he was trying to defeat the course of justice by such a submission.

"The accused conducts all his conversations with lawyers in English, I had never seen him with any Greek interpreter at this court," he said.

He further stated that the witnesses that he was going to call were going to testify that they conducted all their business with him in English.

"He is trying to wave his hand but with not all the five fingers," said Mr Reza.

Mrs Guwuriro ruled that the matter be postponed to tomorrow for continuation to allow accused to prepare his defence.