Defence deputy minister Victor Matemadanda has been taken
to court by fellow war veteran, Amos Sigauke who is claiming $400 000 damages
for criminal defamation.
Sigauke recently issued summons against Matemadanda,
accusing him of soiling his character through a newspaper article published in
a local daily in July this year.
He claimed Matemadanda accused him and his pressure group,
War Veterans Pressure Group (WVPG) of being sponsored to destabilise President
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
“The statements were made with the intention to defame
plaintiffs and to injure their respective reputations. As a result of the
defamation, plaintiffs have jointly and severally the one being injured the
other to suffer, been damaged in their reputation and they have suffered
damages in the sum of $400 000.”
“The statements by the defendant are wrongful and
defamatory to the plaintiffs. The statements were understood by the addressees
and were intended by the defendant to mean that plaintiffs are dishonest and
without morale fibre in that they associate themselves with rapists. Additionally,
the statements by the defendant were understood by the ordinary reader to
depict that plaintiffs are engaging in acts to subvert a constitutionally
elected government through unconstitutional means,” Sigauke said.
In the same summons, Sigauke is also claiming interest at
the prescribed rate from the date of judgement to the date of full and final
payment, as well as 10% collection commission in terms of the Law Society of
Zimbabwe.
The matter is pending. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment