THE trial of opposition politician Tendai Biti on a verbal assault charge will run continuously for four days , from November 21 to 24, after the defence requested for more time to make its submissions.
Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro granted the request today after the State closed its case last month. The opposition member started submitting his defence three weeks ago before he changed and filed his third application for referral to the Constitutional Court citing infringement of his constitutional rights.
But the application was dismissed by Guwuriro on grounds that the court had twice ruled on the same application and could not review its verdict.
The State, represented by Advocate Tafara Chirambira and Michael Reza, then proposed that the trial be given continuous roll in order to bring closure to the matter which has dragged on for three years.
Biti is facing a charge of assaulting businesswoman and investor Tatiana Aleshina at the Harare Magistrates Court in 2020, a charge he denies.
