admin
Zimbabwe over two articles published in the Daily News based on WikiLeaks reports.
The two stories, according to Prof Moyo, were “unlawful, scandalous, contrived, fabricated, false, absurd and highly defamatory”.
The first article complained of was in the daily paper’s edition of September 6, headlined “Moyo’s plans to oust Mugabe” and was published on the front page.
According to the article Prof Moyo reportedly advised former American ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Christopher Dell on how to penetrate and oust President Mugabe from power.
The tips, according to the article, included information on how the US could achieve President Mugabe’s ouster through tapping into some of his reform-minded allies.
On September 7, 2011, the same newspaper published another article “Moyo advised US on Zanu-PF sanctions list” on the second page.
It described Prof Moyo as a “serial flip-flopper” who was vocal on the sanctions issue but on the other end was seeking placement of some key Zanu-PF individuals on the sanctions list.
According to the report, he was labelled a “useful messenger” to the US officials and someone who sought US assistance for the removal of President Mugabe from power.
The editor of the Daily News, the writer Thelma Chikwanha and the ANZ are listed as respondents in the lawsuit filed at the High Court yesterday.
Prof Moyo is being represented by Mr Joseph Mandizha of Mandizha and Company.
According to the summons, the stories purport to be premised on an interview given by Prof Moyo to the then US Ambassador to Zimbabwe on March 30, 2007.
Prof Moyo argues that the allegations that he compiled and supplied a list of Zanu-PF members who he wanted placed on the sanctions list were false.
“The articles and publications as aforesaid seek to expose plaintiff and or do expose plaintiff to public hatred, opprobrium, contempt, disdain or at least to the hatred, contempt and opprobrium of members of Zanu-PF, which is plaintiff’s political party of choice,” the papers read.
The articles, according to the plaintiff’s declaration, wrongly portrayed the professor as a hypocrite who joined Zanu-PF in criticising the imposition of sanctions while on the other hand he secretly sought to have more names added on the list.
Some of the information published, according to the court papers, was never quoted from the said documents.
Prof Moyo is now claiming US$50 000 on each article as defamation damages.
ANZ is yet to respond to the summons.
Online Reporter