adminWeekender Reporters
Rusape entrepreneurs Gladys Svosve and Barnabas Nemaire approached The Manica Post on Monday this week complaining bitterly that the adultery story the paper wrote last week about the two and Nemaire’s estranged wife, Victoria, was false and malicious.
They denied that they were in love and that the adultery case, which is before the courts was aimed at tarnishing their good names and businesses.
Svosve argued that The Manica Post failed to get her full side of the story and did not include that she is a married woman as stated in her opposing affidavit. She said she had been married to a Mr Makoni for the past 24 years.
Both Svosve and Nemaire also alleged that two Manica Post reporters based in Rusape wrote the story out of malice after Svosve turned down a love proposal by one of the reporters and refused to give him money.
“One of your senior reporters visited my place several times, demanding bribes so that I would not appear in The Manica Post. I gave him money on several occasions. He also proposed love to me and I have the evidence. I turned him down and told him I was married and he was young enough to be my son-in-law,’’ claimed Svosve.
Svosve, who was visibly angry, said the newspaper must apologise for writing a false story. “Shuwa shuwa Manica Post mungati ndinodanana nababa avo here?’’ She said pointing to Nemaire. “Hazvina basa kuti nyaya iyoyi is before the courts. It is false. Saka makuhwa akaenda kucourt munongonyoraka zvenyu. Haaa handizive kuti murume wangu achati kudii. Ko business rangu?’’ said Svosve.
In her court papers, Svosve said: “This (the adultery) is denied in that the defendant has made it categorically clear to the plaintiff that she was not involved in any adulterous relationship with Plaintiff’s husband. In any event, defendant is married to her husband.’’
Svosve said she also wondered where The Manica Post got the address, Number 776 Castle Base, Rusape, as she did not reside at the place. However, this is the address she gave in the signed defendant papers submitted to the court, which Manica Post has in its possession.
Nemaire accused The Manica Post of taking sides with his estranged wife, Victoria and went on to blast Victoria as greedy and uneducated. “I asked her (Victoria) to come and assist me to run my private school but she ended up stealing $8 000 and I have reported the case to the police. She does not even have five ‘O’ levels. She has two or three ‘O’ levels, and how can that kind of person be a co-director of a private school. There is one director of the school, inini, hameno kuti zva co-director makazviwana kupi,’’ he said.
Nemaire added: “But Manica Post mandiuraya. (You have literally killed me) Do you think I am going to take any Form One pupils for next year.’’
A planned meeting between Svosve, Nemaire, The Manica Post Editor and the writer of the story, Lovemore Kadzura did not materialise on Tuesday as Svosve and Nemaire excused themselves saying they had other commitments. However, The Manica Post stands by the story it wrote last week as it was based on the plaintiff and defendant’s submissions to the court.
Online Reporter