MDC Deputy Chairperson Tendai Biti’s trial will proceed as usual after his bid to recuse Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa from presiding over his case failed today.
Biti, through his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa accused Takundwa of being impartial towards him.
He said Takundwa already sealed his fate before he is even tried through her actions of dismissing all his applications.
“The court is showing impartiality towards the accused person.
“This shows that will be a breach of his rights if her magistrate try this matter therefore we seek for her worship’s recusal and ask for a judicial officer who is not biased,” said Mtetwa.
Biti also queried decision by the court to dismiss his plea to split the two charges being laid against him in a single sentence.
He said that it shows that his fate has already been sealed.
However, magistrate Takundwa ruled in favor of the state to proceed to trial after they opposed Biti’s application for her recusal.
The state represented by Tafadzwa Mupariwa said there was no need to recuse the magistrate because of the alleged impartiality.
Mupariwa added that the accused was only trying delay trial.
However the trial kick started today with Utoile Silaigwana, from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) appearing before the court as the first state witness.
