The trial of two Harare businessmen who erected an illegal billboard denouncing a property developing company has been deferred to May 9 at the request of their new lawyer Gwinyai Mharapara.
Mharapara, who took over from Tendai Biti, pleaded for more time to familiarise himself with the matter while waiting for the former to renounce the agency.
Magistrate Munashe Chibanda deferred the matter to May 9 for trial although the State had insisted on going to trial saying the latest application was a delaying tactic.
Grant Russel of Fairclot Investments and Mark Strathen of Paragon Printing are facing criminal nuisance charges arising from the alleged offensive billboard.
The court heard that on December 10, 2020 at around 2pm at a place opposite Celebration Centre in Borrowdale, the accused persons erected a billboard with damaging information on West Properties to tarnish the latter’s image.
It is the State’s case that Russell and Strathen caused false alarm to the public through the information that was written on the billboard.
The court heard that the billboard erected by the two had contents that were likely to interfere with the ordinary comfort or convenience of the complainant’s clients.
Last year, the accused applied for refusal of further remand saying their Supreme Court appeal stood a better chance of success.
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They are also challenging a High Court order to proceed to trial after an unsuccessful attempt to have the charges quashed.
In dismissing the application, then presiding magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure said the pair had failed to justify its push for removal from remand.
