Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
Harare Magistrate Mrs Yeukai Dzuda has deferred to July 14 the matter of two men accused of erecting a billboard in Borrowdale with devastating information to a development company.
Grant Russel and Mark Strathen are facing criminal nuisance charges.
The duo is challenging a High Court order to proceed to trial in their matter after they unsuccessfully sought the court to quash their charges.
The duo had filed their application for exception at the lower court saying the charges were defective and must be quashed but Harare Magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera dismissed their application saying they raised triable issues.
Aggrieved by the dismissal of their application, they approached the High Court for review but the upper court again ordered them to proceed to trial and defend themselves.
The State, led by Mrs Shambadzeni Fungura is on record challenging the accused persons to trial to no avail.
It is the State’s case that on December 10, 2020 at around 2pm on the opposite side of Celebration Church in Borrowdale, Harare the accused persons erected a billboard with damaging information on WestProperties in a bid to tarnish its image.
It was alleged that Russell and Strathen caused false alarm to the public through the information which was written on the billboard
The State alleges that the billboard erected by the two had contents which were likely to interfere with the ordinary comfort or convenience of the complainant’s clients.
The complainant made a report to the police leading to their arrest.