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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent

Builder George Katsimberis who has been in an out of court following all proceedings in English has made another request for a Greek interpreter in his fraud trial.

Katsimberis allegedly duped Pokugara Properties (Pvt) Limited of close to US$1 million in a joint venture to build cluster houses in Harare’s Borrowdale suburb.

In a letter dated June 12, which he wrote to the secretary of the Judiciary Service Commission, Katsimberis said he needed the services of a Greek interpreter for his application for referral to the Apex Court which will be heard at the Harare Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Katsimberis is expected to give evidence in that application.

Last week Harare regional magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro Muchuchuti dismissed his seeking her recusal from presiding over his fraud trial.

In his application, Katsimberis argued that the magistrate forced him to proceed to trial without a lawyer of his choice.

He also alleged that the magistrate was biased and hostile towards him as she kept dismissing his applications.

In her ruling, Mrs Guwuriro Muchuchuti said if the court was in a hurry to dispose of a matter, that could not be considered as a bias.

She said the dismissal of applications by the court is a question of law and therefore, not a biased move.

“The fact that Mrs Moyo is suing the court for defamation will not affect a fair trial as the accused has many lawyers at his disposal,” she said.

She said there was no nexus between the lawsuit and the fraud case.

Mrs Guwuriro Muchuchuti further ruled that nothing had been placed to justify her recusal before dismissing the application.

Katsimberis’ lawyer Advocate Tinomudaishe Chinyoka told the court that he was seeking to make an application for a review of this ruling at the High Court.