TWO company directors accused of erecting an illegal billboard in Borrowdale denigrating a property developing company had their application for exception postponed to September 18.
This was after Mark Strathen of Paragon Printers and Grant Russell of Fairclot Investments, who are being represented by Gwinyai Mharapara and Tafara Danana respectively, had failed to file their application on time.
The lawyers apologised to the court for failing to file their papers on time saying their secretary went to the Civil Court to file instead of the Rotten Row Magistrates Court for submission.
However, Magistrate Sharon Rakafa gave the accused the benefit of doubt and postponed the matter to September 18 for ruling.
The matter has been on roll since 2021 owing to several postponements by the accused persons.
State prosecutor Shambadzeni Fungura has previously accused the two company directors of using delaying tactics to derail the trial.
It is the State’s case that on December 10, 2020 at around 2pm opposite Celebration Church in Borrowdale, Harare, the accused persons erected a billboard containing damaging information on West Properties.
It was alleged that Russell and Strathen caused false alarm in the public because of the information on the billboard.
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The State alleges that the billboard content was likely to interfere with the ordinary comfort or convenience of the complainant.
The complainant made a report to the police leading to the duo’s arrest.
