BUSINESSMAN Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei has denied any
involvement in Landela Investments which is said to be involved in a Government
bus deal.
The Zimbabwe Independent reported that Mr Tagwirei was the owner of
Landela. The article accused him of pocketing US$54 million from selling buses
to the Government at heavily inflated prices.
Mr Tagwirei, through his lawyer Mr Wellington Pasipanodya
of Manase & Manase Legal Practitioners, said the reports were false and
defamatory.
He has since written to the publishers of the Zimbabwe
Independent, demanding an apology and is willing to sue for defamation damages.
Part of the news story complained of reads: “Through his
company Landela Investments, Tagwirei will import 500 additional buses for mass
public transportation at a unit price of US$58 900 from Xiamen Golden Dragon
Bus Company in China and that he will then sell each bus to the Government for
US$212 962.”
The article was headlined,“Mnangagwa’s ally pockets US$54m
in fresh bus deal”
Responding to the article, Mr Tagwirei’s lawyers said their
client does not own Landela Investments and has no business of personal
interest in that company.
“Our client cannot fathom the reason behind such a false
story. The only logical conclusion is that the defamatory story was published
with actual malice and reckless disregard for the falsity of the information
that, for all intents and purposes, is fabricated and aimed at tarnishing the
reputation and good standing of our client as a businessman both locally and
internationally.
“Our client is further concerned by the fact that your
false story is trending on your website. Numerous other sister websites of
yours have also attributed the story to you and have duplicated the story to
you.”
The lawyers said the reports were defamatory and have an
effect of lowering Mr Tagwirei’s esteem. Herald
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