Billboard case referred for trial

Billboard

TWO directors accused of erecting a billboard in Borrowdale, Harare, denigrating a property development company had their application for exception dismissed by the court.

The court said the accused persons, Mark Strathen of Paragon Printers and Grant Russell of Fairclot Investments, who are being represented by Gwinyai Mharapara and Tafara Danana, should go to trial.

The duo had filed for exception saying the facts of its charge did not disclose an offence.

However, magistrate Sharon Rakafa dismissed the application saying the issues the two raised on their application for exception are triable.

However, the duo’s lawyers filed for a postponement saying they will apply for a review.

The matter has been on roll since 2021 owing to several postponements.

State prosecutor Shambadzeni Fungura has, in the past, accused the two directors of employing delaying tactics to derail the trial.

It is the State’s case that on December 10, 2020 at around 2pm on the opposite side of Celebration Church in Borrowdale, the accused persons erected a billboard with damaging information on property developer West Properties.

It was alleged that Russell and Strathen caused false alarm within the public through the information on the billboard.

The State alleged that the billboard contained information which was likely to cause discomfort to the complainant.

The complainant made a report to the police, leading to their arrest.

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