Former Pokugara Properties general manager Mr Michael Van Blerk last Friday told the court that it was necessary for him to jump in between Tendai Biti and Mrs Tatiana Aleshina in order to save the businesswoman from the legislator who was charging aggressively towards her whilst shouting.
Biti is facing charges of assaulting businesswoman and investor Mrs Aleshina at Harare Magistrates Court sometime in 2020.
Mr Van Blerk, who was under cross examination by Biti’s lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama told the court that when Biti was charging towards Mrs Aleshina he was pointing a finger towards her and shouting “stupid, stupid”.
During her testimony Mrs Aleshina said she went to Trauma Centre to get treatment as her shoulders were very painful.
While leading evidence, Mr Michael Reza asked Mrs Aleshina what went through her mind during the incident and she replied that she was traumatized and thought Biti was about attack her as he was very aggressive, shouting and pointing his finger at her.
Mrs Aleshina told the court that she froze when Biti charged towards her and felt he would physically attack her.
“As we were walking in the corridor, l suddenly heard a noise and shouting behind my back.”
Mrs Aleshina said she immediately stopped in shock only to see Biti with a crowd of people charging towards her.
She further stated that she had never come across that type of unruly behaviour in her life.
She told the court that Biti was aggressive and pointing his finger at her face while shouting “you stupid stupid stupid idiot and was shaking his body in an aggressive and angry way”.
“I did not understand what was going on and I asked him are you talking to me but he continued his aggressive behaviour shouting and pointing at my face. After that my colleague Michael Van Blerk then tried to protect me and stood in front of me, but someone said it’s not right, it’s dangerous here and you need to go,” Mrs Aleshina told the court.
Mr Reza asked Mrs Aleshina to describe how she felt, and she explained: “I felt he would physically hit me.
I believed at that moment I was in danger. I thought he could kill me. I was shaken and humiliated and disturbed.”
Mrs Aleshina said after the incident she felt confused and wandered around the court for some minutes looking for an exit point.
“On my way out someone asked me why Biti was shouting at you and l couldn’t answer that. Someone else then said Biti can’t treat women like that, you need to report him to police. I decided to go to the Russian Embassy and told them what happened. They calmed me down and advised me to go to the police to report the matter.’’
She said while at the police station, she discovered that her half body was numb and could not move, she could not use her hand to sign. Then the police offered to assist her to go to Harare Hospital but she then instead ended up being taken to Borrowdale Trauma Centre where she got treatment and was not in a good condition, prompting them to put on a drip and admitted her.
Mrs Aleshina told the court that Biti’s behaviour was unprofessional given that he is a prominent lawyer.
“When Biti charged towards me he was very aggressive and in my mind I thought he was going to kill me,” she said. Herald
