By A Correspondent| The ongoing trial of Harare businessman George Katsimberis has laid bare, the double standards of the state which continues to prosecute its state witness in matters based on the same set of facts.

Katsimberis is embroiled in a long standing legal battle with controversial businessman Kenneth Raydon Sharpe following a botched multi-million dollar joint venture deal.

Allegations are that Katsimberis constructed a show house without approved architectural plans despite evidence that the plans were approved at City of Harare’s Cleveland house where all payments were effected and receipted.

Following the destruction of the show house Katsimberis reported Sharpe’s company Pokugara Properties and City of Harare officials for perjury and malicious damage to property and is a witness.  Two months later Pokugara reported him for fraud under the same set of facts.

Through his lawyer Charles Warara, Katsimberis had applied for all records of the proceedings in the trial where he is a witness to be transcribed. The transcription were not yet ready by the time trial commenced yesterday.

However, the State led by Michael Reza tried to rubbish Warara’s assertions that the proceedings were of interest.

Warara accused Reza of double dealing saying the State cannot pretend no to know what is transpiring in the other court.

“The State is simply being duplicitous, it is unheard of, the State cannot come here and pretend that it does not know what the right hand is holding when the left hand… they know what is transpiring in the other courts.

“We cannot sit here and pretend that Mr. Reza who is in charge of the prosecution in these courts does not know what is transpiring in the other courts, he is just simply being duplicitous. It is one State it cannot come to this court and go to another court with the same accused person as a witness in similar circumstances. There is absolutely no basis that the State can say it does not know what is happening in the other court,” Warara said

Magistrate Letwin Rwodzi deferred proceeding to February 15.