Taibu to fight assault charge

Taibu to fight assault charge

CHARGED: Tatenda Taibu

• Zimbabwe retained as full ICC member, opts out of Twenty20

• ECB cuts ties with ZC, tour cancelled

• ICC clears Zimbabwe Cricket of financial impropriety

• UK threatr to deny visa to Chingoka

• Vermeulen cleared of arson on medical grounds

• Zimbabwe all out for 244 runs

• Pakistan clinch series with 37-run romp over Zimbabwe

• Pakistan limp home against Zimbabwe

• Pakistan limp home against Zimbabwe

• Utseya injury concern for Zim on Pakistan tour

• Vermeulen sensation: 'I did it'

• Zimbabwe get security 'all clear' to tour Pakistan

• Zimbabwe Cricket rejects ECB pay-off over planned tour

• Bhutto assasination casts doubt over Zimbabwe tour

• Zimbabwe in 51-run victory over SA Composite XI

• Zimbabwe outplayed by SA Composite XI

• Vermeulen trial set for January 10

• Final Zimbabwe, West Indies ODI rained out

• Zimbabwe beat West Indies by 31 runs

• Zim draw India in 2009 World Cup

• Zimbabwe shock Aussies

• Taibu completes Zimbabwe return

• ICC: No evidence of impropriety for self-gain

• ICC relents on Zimbabwe's US$11m payout

• Zimbabwe Cricket 'falsified accounts'

• New ICC chief voices support for Zim

By Staff Reporter
Posted to the web: 07/10/2008 09:11:35
FORMER Zimbabwe cricket captain Tatenda Taibu has been hauled before a Harare court charged with assaulting a female official from Zimbabwe Cricket in a row over an outstanding payment to the player.

Prosecutors say Taibu grabbed the ZC’s general manager responsible for finance Esther Chagadama by the collar of her jacket after confronting her over his outstanding salary.

A conviction would likely result in a fine and the shaming of one of Zimbabwe’s brightest young cricket stars.

Taibu, 25, has hired prominent Harare lawyer Jonathan Samkange to fight the assault charges. Samkange was not in court on Monday, a reason advanced by Beloved Dhlakama, a member of the legal team, in asking for a postponement of the trial to November 7.

Taibu, out on free bail, was arrested on September 30 after police were called to an incident at the Tour Africa travel agents on 34 Baines Avenue in the capital Harare.

Prosecutor Gift Zumbika will seek to prove that on that day, Taibu had called Changadama on her mobile phone asking for a meeting. He was directed to meet her at Africa Tour.

After arriving at the premises, Taibu is alleged to have demanded to know why his outstanding salary had not been settled to which Changadama said the money would be transferred to his account a day later.

At that point the star who has been capped 52 times in test matches and 64 times in ODIs for his country is claimed to have grabbed Changadama by the collar of her jacket, prompting Tour Africa staff to come to her aid.

Police were called leading to the Kolkata Knight Riders (Indian Premier League) wicket-keeper’s arrest.

Taibu, who succeeded Heath Streak as captain, made his first-class debut aged just sixteen, and his debut for the national team in 2001, aged eighteen.

In 2003, he was appointed vice-captain to Heath Streak on the team's tour of England, and he was appointed national captain in April 2004 following the departure of several 'rebel' players, who resigned from the national team in a dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket.

He impressed many with his mature outlook and leading by example and was regarded as one of the few genuinely Test-standard players in a very weak side.

In November 2005, he held a press conference on behalf of 74 Zimbabwe players denouncing the management of Zimbabwe Cricket. This led to death threats against him and his family, as well as criticism of him in the Zimbabwean media. He also failed to agree a new contract with Zimbabwe Cricket and ended his international career at the age of 22.

He made his return to the Zimbabwean side in a series against India A in July 2007, registering a century. The following month Zimbabwe hosted South Africa for a 3 games ODI series and in the final game Taibu scored a career best 107 not out. It was the first ODI century by a Zimbabwean against South Africa.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
sports@newzimbabwe.com