Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje has postponed the fraud trial of property developer George Katsimberis to April 4.
Katsimberis is accused of building a showroom in the city’ leafy Borrowdale suburb without an approved building plan, resulting in the showroom being demolished by the council.
The property developer is in the middle of filing an application for referral of his matter to the Constitutional Court after alleging that he is being unfairly tried.
On more than two occasions he aplied unsuccessfully to be allowed to testify in his native Greek language. The State led by then deputy prosecutor -general Michael Reza alleged that his request for the interpreter was a delaying tactic since he had fluently testified before in English.
Reza told the court that Katsimberis had so far testified in three cases at the Harare Magistrate Court in English language. He also told court that Katsimberis initially pleaded using English before Harare magistrate Letween Rwodzi but went on to seek the services of a Greek interpreter when the case was taken over by magistrate Vongai Guwuriro.
Reza also accused Katsimberis of forging a court record which he later submitted in court as a court transcript. While cross-examining Katsimberis on his application for referral of his matter to the Apex Court, Reza said the contents in the transcript which Katsimberis submitted to the court were forged. He further accused Katsimberis of submitting a forged document to scandalize the court.
Reza put it to Katsimberis that his rights were never trampled upon, saying all the rules were followed when the trial commenced.
But Katsimberis insists that he will not get a fair trial with Reza prosecuting. Reza has since left prosecution to chair the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission board.
- Van Blerk trial deferred to July 19
- State witness exposed for fraudulently approving Katsimberis building plan
- Van Blerk trial deferred to July 19
- State witness exposed for fraudulently approving Katsimberis building plan
