Biti to pay US$300 fine for assault

Michael Mashiri

Senior Citizens Coalition for Change official, Tendai Biti has been sentenced to six months in prison or to pay a US$300 fine.

Biti was arrested in 2020 accused of verbally assaulting Tatiana Aleshina, a Russian national.

He was found guilty after a full trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts.

The State, through prosecutor Tafara Chirambira, proved that Biti had confronted Aleshina after a court hearing and shouted at her saying: “You are very stupid.”

Biti’s verbal confrontation was traumatising, leading Aleshina to visit the Russian Embassy because she feared for her life.

The State alleges that she had to get medical treatment because of damage she had suffered.

In his defence, Biti rebutted the allegations. He told the court that he never had contact with her.

Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro, in delivering her sentence, said Biti’s actions were against the legal ethics as he is a legal practitioner who should have conducted himself in a more professional way.

“The accused is not a first offender he was sentenced in 2019, the court will take into consideration that this conviction is not the first.

“Imprisonment sentence is severe in this matter. If there was physical or bodily harm on the body of the complainant, a community service would have been justified.”

“More was expected from the accused considering his position in the society,” she said.