ZIMBABWE Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke on Wednesday walked out of court a free man after he was acquitted of assaulting a Harare lawyer back in 2014.
Harare magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini ruled it was clear the case was one of bad blood between Kaseke and the lawyer, Philipa Magnify Philips, 40.
He also ruled that the witnesses could not be trusted since they gave different versions of the same incident.
“The court found it difficult to believe the narration of witnesses since they gave different accounts with regard to the allegations the accused is facing,” he said before he acquitted him at the close of the State’s case.
This followed a successful application by Kaseke’s lawyer, Nomsa Sabarauta, for discharge.
It was his defence that Philips fabricated charges against him in a bid to soil his name.
Philips told court Kaseke was a violent person adding that it was now common knowledge since his character is always in the media.
“He is that person who can just throw a stapler at you. I once saw him insulting his personal assistant and at one time it was his wife. He is so bossy,” she said when she gave her testimony.
Kaseke was a second respondent in matter which arose from his son’s road accident with Philips’ client, Freedom Mazirire.
Mazirire is suing Kaseke for $18,000 in damages following the accident.
The state alleged that the parties held a pre-trial conference at the High Court where the judge ruled in favour of her client, and warned Kaseke to settle the damages claim as his prospects for success in this case were slim.
She said this did not go down with Kaseke who approached her client after the meeting telling him that his lawyer was misleading him.
This triggered the dispute which ended with Kaseke poking Philips and allegedly calling her a bitch.
Crispen Chikafu prosecuted.-ZimLive
