Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. A CITY of Harare senior police officer has won a defamation suit against his colleague.
In his submissions, Tawanda Manhando claimed that Message Sadomba posted a number of messages defaming him on social media.
Some of the messages, which allegedly questioned his integrity as a municipal officer, were posted on council’s metropolitan police WhatsApp group.
Manhando said the messages were deliberately crafted to tarnish his reputation, intimidate him and cause him emotional distress.
Sadomba, however, denied the charges alleging that he did not intend to defame his co-worker,
“Further, the defendant claimed that he had since retracted the message and hence the present claim is of bad taste,” court papers read.
Trial magistrate Halib Fazilahmend ruled in favour of Manhando and ordered the defendant to pay US$2 000 for damages.
“The defendant seemed, as the court noted, to only apologise as the plaintiff is his superior and fears disciplinary retaliation,” the magistrate ruled.
“From his conduct, it’s difficult to ascertain what he meant with the apology and retraction.
“In light of that fact, he still stands with what he said and hence nullifying the retraction and possibly apologising for having to be made to apologise.
“Defendant to pay the plaintiff US$2 000 and cost of suit on an ordinary scale.”
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