Zimbabwe acting President Kembo Mohadi has filed a $10 defamation lawsuit against Norton MP Temba Mliswa. The Vice President is unhappy that Mliswa accused him of corruption and called him the “Godfather of Smuggling” in a series of tweets on social media.
Despite being asked to take back his allegations and apologise, Mliswa stood his ground and insisted that the matter should go to the courts as he believes that he has sufficient evidence.
According to NewsDay, in his court papers filed by his lawyers, Mohadi says;
Defendant (Mliswa) shall pay plaintiff (Mohadi) the sum of $10 million as damages together with interest at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of initial publication to date of full payment. Both dates inclusive.
The said words are in their entirety false, wrongful and defamatory per se of and concerning plaintiff; were meant to imply, did imply and were construed and understood by the ordinary reader to imply that plaintiff is corrupt, criminal, unethical and unfit to hold any public office, especially that of Vice-President of the nation.
As a result of the publication of the said matter, plaintiff was damaged in his reputation, dignity and esteem in the eyes of his family, friends, political followers and associates, the citizenry of Zimbabwe in its entirety, his business partners and the global community.
Mliswa is yet to file his response.
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