Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has given The Standard newspaper a 48-hour ultimatum to retract an article published in its Sunday edition, which alleged that he was involved in a land deal that led to the arrest of City of Harare officials and a former legislator last week.
Minister Garwe has distanced himself from the case, which resulted in the arrest of Harare Deputy Mayor Rosemary Muronda and former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume was also questioned by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) in connection with the matter.
Muronda and Mashayamombe were arrested after Marvis Java reported that she had been sold a non-existent commercial stand in Newlands, Harare.
Minister Garwe said the allegations contained in the article, “Garwe’s head in Harare’s land scandal exposed”, were false and unfounded.
Through his lawyers, Samukange and Hungwe Attorneys, the minister warned that he would take legal action should the newspaper fail to retract the article and apologise for defaming him.
In a letter of demand dated 26 January, the lawyers said the article sought to tarnish the minister’s reputation.
“In your article, you make serious unfounded and false allegations against our client. It is clear that the intention of your article is to soil, mudsling and malign his good name,” the letter stated.
Samukange and Hungwe Attorneys argued that the article defamed the Minister by falsely alleging that he ordered the City of Harare to defy a court order in respect of the land in question, and that he sought to use political influence to seize the land.
