Senior Magistrate Caught Pants Down In Biti Assault Case
23 October 2021
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By A Correspondent| A senior magistrate at the Harare Magistrates court, Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro is in the eye of a storm after she was caught pants down conniving with state prosecutor Michael Reza to deny MDC Alliance vice President Tendai Biti his right to legal representation.

According to Biti, Muchuchuti who is presiding over his assault case at the Harare Magistrates court failed to uphold her judicial duties as an officer of the court as required by Section 165 of the Constitution.

Biti’s frustration with Guwuriro emanated from events that transpired in court on the 13th of October when he was supposed to stand for trial.

His legal counsel, Alec Muchadehama through Jeremiah Bhamu who appeared on his behalf as he was busy the Master of High Court, requested for a postponement of the trial kick off.

This did not go down well with Muchuchuti who adjourned proceedings to allow state prosecutor Michael Reza to confirm with the Master’s office on whether Muchadehama was indeed there.

After briefly adjourning, Muchuchuti took matters into her own hands and called the Master’s office to enquire about Biti’s lawyer whereabouts.

Unknowingly, the Master of High Court then exposed Guwuriro telling Muchadehama that she had called enquiring about his whereabouts.

Guwuriro’s move and many other questionable rulings against Biti have now set her at collision course with the former finance minister who now wants her recused from presiding over his case.

Biti accused Guwuriro of acting like a prosecutor while also aiming at Reza whom he says is unfit to hold judicial office.

In his High Court application, the firebrand legislator laid into the two for infringing on his rights to legal representation after they objected to the postponement of his trial due to the absence of his legal counsel.

Biti also accused Reza of holding a personal grudge against him to the extend of prosecuting a case of assault despite holding a very senior position in the National Prosecuting Authority.

“Moreover, Mr Michael Reza is the Deputy Prosecutor General. He deputises Mr Kumbirai Hodzi. How does a Deputy Prosecutor General prosecute a case of verbal abuse in a Regional Court,” said Biti.

He also expressed concern that an alleged verbal abuse case has ended up being triable matter before a Regional Magistrate.

“How does a matter relating to an alleged verbal abuse now engineered as an assault end up being a triable matter before a Regional Magistrate,” questioned Biti.

“The atmosphere at court is a poisoned one. Both the 1st respondent and indeed Michael Reza, behave as if they are joint prosecutors.

“Both of them in my humble opinion have miserably failed to uphold their judicial duties as officers of this honourable court as is required by Section 165 of the constitution,” added Biti.

Biti is accused of assaulting a Russian woman who is also aide to controversial businessman Kenneth Raydon Sharpe.