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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter
Harare lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa has slapped Trauma Centre owner Dr Vivek Solanki with a US$250 000 defamation lawsuit.
Ms Mtetwa claims Dr Solanki defamed her when he told a magistrate last year that she had paid a US$150 000 bribe to a senior officer at the National Prosecution Authority.
The bribery allegations were published in Zimbabwe’s daily newspapers, online publications and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s television and radio stations.
According to the summons filed at the High Court last week, the defamatory statements were uttered during criminal proceedings before a regional magistrate between January 7 and March 13, 2013.
Dr Solanki reportedly said: “In fact your learned colleague, Mtetwa and one of the employees of African Medical Investments were seen paying a bribe at the AG’s Office. We have witnesses to it, there is a transcript. We have reported the matter to the police and to the Anti-Corruption Commission as well…”
Ms Mtetwa says the statement was false and damaged her reputation as a lawyer. Dr Solanki reportedly repeated the same statements, implicating Chief Law Officer Mr Chris Mutangadura as the official who received the bribe to induce the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
Ms Mtetwa said: “The defendant’s utterances and as widely published, circulated, read and watched as aforesaid, are wrongful, defamatory of the plaintiff …”
She said they were intended and were understood by readers, listeners and viewers to label her as a corrupt and dishonest lawyer.
“As a result of the defamatory aforesaid, the plaintiff has been greatly injured in her name, reputation and in her vocation as an upright legal practitioner and she has suffered damages in the amount of US$250 000.”
Online Reporter