News / National
Trial date set for Biti's legal clerk
06 Apr 2022 at 06:26hrs | Views
Harare Magistrate Mr Munashe Chibanda has set April 13 as the trial date for a legal clerk with Tendai Biti Law Chambers, who is facing two fresh counts of fraud.
On the first count, it is alleged that on February 26, 2020 and at the High Court in Harare, Constantine Chaza, made a misrepresentation to the court by tendering a fake special power of attorney from Eliot Rogers in the matter in which the complainant, Tendai Mashamhanda, was the other party.
The court acted upon the misrepresentation and allowed the accused to file the papers. The matter came to light when the complainant contacted Eliot Rogers in the United Kingdom, who denied giving the accused the said special power of attorney and matter was reported to the police.
The special power of attorney tendered by accused was subjected to CID Forensic Laboratory for analysis and it was discovered that the documents were not signed.
It is alleged that both the special power of attorney and the report by the forensic expert can be tendered before the court as exhibits. Evidence can be led from witnesses of the prosecution.
On the second count, it is alleged that on October 18, 2021 and at High Court in Harare, Chaza tendered a fake special power of attorney allegedly from Eliot Rogers in the matter HC 5633/2021.
It is alleged that the matter came to light when complainant noted that the signature on the special power of attorney dated September 27, 2015, was different from the signature by Rogers on an affidavit done on October 7, 2014, and a report was made.
Investigations revealed that the two signatures on the documents were not authored by the same person.
It is further alleged that the special powers of attorney and expert report can be tendered before the court as exhibits. Chaza was arrested on February 17, 2022 at the High Court.
The complainant in this matter is Piwayi Chiutsi.
Chaza is presently on $5 000 bail on perjury charges after filing a false statement under oath at the High Court.
On the first count, it is alleged that on February 26, 2020 and at the High Court in Harare, Constantine Chaza, made a misrepresentation to the court by tendering a fake special power of attorney from Eliot Rogers in the matter in which the complainant, Tendai Mashamhanda, was the other party.
The court acted upon the misrepresentation and allowed the accused to file the papers. The matter came to light when the complainant contacted Eliot Rogers in the United Kingdom, who denied giving the accused the said special power of attorney and matter was reported to the police.
The special power of attorney tendered by accused was subjected to CID Forensic Laboratory for analysis and it was discovered that the documents were not signed.
It is alleged that both the special power of attorney and the report by the forensic expert can be tendered before the court as exhibits. Evidence can be led from witnesses of the prosecution.
It is alleged that the matter came to light when complainant noted that the signature on the special power of attorney dated September 27, 2015, was different from the signature by Rogers on an affidavit done on October 7, 2014, and a report was made.
Investigations revealed that the two signatures on the documents were not authored by the same person.
It is further alleged that the special powers of attorney and expert report can be tendered before the court as exhibits. Chaza was arrested on February 17, 2022 at the High Court.
The complainant in this matter is Piwayi Chiutsi.
Chaza is presently on $5 000 bail on perjury charges after filing a false statement under oath at the High Court.
Source - The Herald
