Arrest warrant against Taibu dropped

Harare:

A Harare court has rescinded a warrant for the arrest of Test cricketer Tatenda Taibu that was issued last Friday when the former Zimbabwe captain failed to appear at his trial on assault charges.

Taibu is alleged to have assaulted Zimbabwe Cricket general finance manager Esther Lupepe last October following an alteration over outstanding payments he said were owed to him.

The Harare court public prosecutor on Wednesday accepted an explanation that Taibu's failure to appear in court was due to a communication breakdown with his lawyer Jonathan Samkange. The hearing will reconvene next Monday.

During Zimbabwe's recent tour of Kenya, Taibu informed Samkange that he would be taking up a club contract offer in Bangladesh soon after the series that would make him unavailable for the scheduled February 6 court appearance.

The Bangladesh club deal broke down, meaning Taibu had to return home with the rest of the Zimbabwe team last Thursday.

Assuming a court postponement had already been effected, he did not inform his lawyer about his presence in the country.