Biti reported to LSZ for threatening complainant

Tatiana Aleshina (L) and Tendai Biti (R)

Harare lawyer and Citizens Coalition for Change vice president Tendai Biti has been reported to the Law Society of Zimbabwe for threatening a complainant through political intimidation.

"Our client has nothing to do with politics and this is against her modus as - international investor. She does not want to be involved in the country’s politics and its political arena.

“As a legal practitioner, Biti is now intimidating her and making aspersions that she is involved in trying to harm him personally which she finds disturbing and unbecoming of him,” reads the complaint filed by Scanlen and Holderness, lawyers representing Tatiana Aleshina.

Aleshina is a Russian national resident in Zimbabwe.

The complaint comes after a social media message urging party supporters to flock to the courts ahead of Biti’s trial on the matter went viral.

"Urgent Notice!!! Vice President Hon. Tendai Biti will be appearing at Rotten Row Court tomorrow at 11.15am, in Court 9. He is currently facing frivolous charges of assault.

“The state is now in an overdrive to politicize the matter, and there are plots to convict him. Let’s attend in solidarity with our Champion," reads the message.

"The message is intimidating and inspires fear and dread," wrote Aleshina’s lawyers.

Tendai Biti is charged with verbally assaulting Aleshina on November 30, 2020 at Rotten Row.

Complainant was representing the company she works for in a matter brought by George Katsimberis. Biti was representing Katsimberis. The assault is alleged to have occurred when the parties walked outside court.