MINISTER of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe has given The Standard newspaper a 48-hour ultimatum to retract an article published in its Sunday edition, which falsely 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.Newspapers
Minister Garwe has distanced himself from the ongoing land dispute that resulted in the arrest of Harare deputy mayor Rosemary Muronda, former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume was picked for questioning by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) over the same matter for questioning.
Muronda and Mashayamombe were arrested after Marvis Java reported to Zacc 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 said he would take legal action should the newspaper fail to retract the article and apologise for defaming him.
In a letter of demand dated January 26, the lawyers said The Standard article was intended to soil and mudsling the Minister’s good name.
“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,” he said.
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.Politics
They said it was also untrue that the Minister sought to seize the land in favour of anyone and also false that he claimed that the alleged seizure emanated from the President of Zimbabwe.
“The unfounded but serious and damaging allegations are not anchored on the correct facts. Your intention in publishing an article with falsehoods was to damage our client’s good name.
“The true position known to you is contrary to what is contained in your article. At any rate, you would have surely considered the need to secure our client’s comment to the allegations prior to your publication.
“You did not, deliberately.
“In the circumstances, we hold clear and unambiguous instructions to demand, as we hereby do, the unconditional retraction of the defamatory article within the next forty-eight (48) hours, failing which we hold unequivocal instructions to institute proceedings for damages.
“In this event, all attendant costs in pursuit of the damages claim shall be for your account on a punitive scale,” reads the letter of demand. – Herald
