The lawyer is facing charges of verbally assaulting
businesswoman and investor Mrs Tatiana Aleshina at the Harare Magistrates Court
in 2020.
Biti’s trial is now approaching its fourth year due to
applications and postponements at the instigation of the defence.
Last week Biti denied attacking the complainant saying he
could not do so due to the bag and books he was carrying.
He said this after witnesses told the court that they saw
him advancing towards Aleshina before one of the witnesses Michael Van Blerk
stood in between the accused and the complainant to protect her from being
attacked.
The witnesses also told the court that Biti was very angry
while coming out of the court and he advanced towards Aleshina where he shouted
on top of his voice saying she was stupid.
The witnesses corroborated their evidence saying they heard
him shouting.
But the politician said he did not advance towards her and
also said he did not point a finger at her saying his hands were holding books
and a bag on both hands and could not point at someone.
Biti said he did not know the complainant as of November
30, 2020, when the incident happened but went on to tell the court on the
incident that he alleged the complainant did in 2009.
Biti said that his conversation with the complainant did
not last a minute.
He said he does not get angry as he had faced several
things that could get him angry but he did not.
The politician has been submitting his defence for almost
three weeks and he told the court that his submissions could take even years.
However, Deputy Prosecutor-General Mr Michael Reza has been
complaining that the politician was delaying the completion of the case by
submitting irrelevant information to the court.
Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro postponed the matter to December
15, for continuation of trial. Herald
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