Harare lawyer and legislator Tendai Biti through his lawyer Alec Muchadehama has called on the court to bring Kenneth Raydon Sharpe owned West properties and company chief operations officer Tatiana Aleshina to order following a statement the company released responding to issue that had been raised in court.
Biti who is making an application for referral to the Constitutional Court in a case where he is facing charges of assaulting Aleshina had raised allegations of corruption on the construction of the Harare Airport Road (now Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo) involving Augur Investments a company owned by Sharpe.
The submissions that he was making were exposing how powerful Aleshina is and how she can influence the outcome of the case.
Muchadehama told Harare Magistrate Wongai Guwuriro that West Properties was in violation of the Constitution by commenting on issues that are before the courts.
“The statement by West Properties should be reminded that they should not comment on these Court Proceedings because they’re violating the Constitution,” said Muchadehama
As has been the norm in cases involving Aleshina, State Prosecutor Michael Reza came to the defence saying the statement has nothing to do with the assault case.
“This document is not commenting on the Assault matter it’s only commenting about the Pokugara and City of Harare,” Reza said
Muchadehama insisted that the evidence being led by his client directly involved the complainant and his client had a right to inform the court.
“There’s no need for litigants to comment outside the Court. The complainant is yet to testify but is commenting outside Court. This evidence is directly involving the complainant. This is the issue which has arisen and the accused person has a right to notify and alert the Court therefore the complainant must be called to order as the matter is before the Court.” Muchadehama
