Thursday, March 28, 2024

GBM demands K500m for defamation

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Defense Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba

MINISTER of Defence Geoffrey Mwamba is demanding K500 million from the Daily Nation newspaper following an article published by the newspaper suggesting that his trucks were used to transport fuel donated to Malawi.

Mr Mwamba is also demanding a written apology and retraction of the article entitled “Malawi to sell oil donated by Zambia” which appeared in the newspaper on Thursday.

This is contained in a letter of demand by Mr Mwamba’s lawyers, Ellis and Company, obtained by the Daily Mail in Lusaka on Thursday.
Mr Mwamba’s decision to demand an apology and compensation is in relation to an extract of the article published in the Daily Nation, which his lawyers have termed as defamatory.

“Our instructions are, therefore, to demand a written apology and a retraction of the said article in so far it relates to our client. Our client also demands to be compensated to the tune of K500 million for the said defamatory words,” reads part of the letter.

Ellis and Company says if the newspaper does give them a favourable response within seven days, they will institute court proceedings for appropriate remedies which will inevitably aggravate costs and attract interest.

Mr Mwamba’s lawyers say the article meant and is understood to mean that their client has abused his office as Minister of Defence by using his personal vehicles to transport the fuel.

The law firm says that the article further means that Mr Mwamba is a corrupt and mischievous person.
Mr Mwamba’s lawyers state that the article means that he used his authority to procure the oil deal to transport fuel to derive financial benefit.

The law firm says that a portion of the article is not correct because Mr Mwamba does not own any fuel tankers, whether registered or not, which are capable of transporting fuel.

The law firm says as a result of the defamatory article, Mr Mwamba has suffered hatred, ridicule and has been lowered in the estimates of right thinking members of the society.

[Daily Mail]

15 COMMENTS

  1. Mr Minister Sir, why sparing the childish ‘DOG’ who also caried out the silly inueondo in their online publication?

  2. @kal, I am just stating a fact. To claim compensation for defamation, one must prove that he has a character or reputation to protect.

  3. @Rod GBM is a powerful business man he is of the rich guys around employing expatriates from different races, in short ni ba kanabesa that is reputation so what do you mean.

  4. #4 @Kal, I like that… sure if you accused Lucifer of supplying trumpets to Saints, he has a right to sue for DEFAMATION of character!
    GBM need to go further to include even some online newspapers who republished that article in the law suit. Most of us questioned when GMB bought tankers, and thought maybe the fuel tankers.

  5. …Careful ma Guys, leave this shape-less “FAT Albert” alone, the man has ‘no posture’ to talk about nor can you tell he is male or female (if you are looking at him from behind) otherwise, he will beat the hell out of you; just like he beat his wife. You are ‘afore warned…

  6. Most of you people here hate GBM because of what you’ve come to know about him through the media. It’s the media’s responsibility to publish the truth and not mislead masses. The man has suffered insults from bloggers here because of that story. Let him be with the right to redress if he feels unfairly treated. Don’t just condemn for the sake of it. I for one hate reality spinners.

  7. In a country with sane people rascles like GBM can not lay their paws any where close to leadership,infact this block just scared out after he was exposed by the watchdog,otherwiae it was deal done.good work watchdog

  8. Corrupt people always rush to Courts to claim costs for defamation of their character. But how many PF Ministers can claim to be morally, economically and politically upright? However, the Law Firm Ellis & Co. has a field day to make money in a country where deceptive political leaders are spreading like highly invasive weeds..

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