Thursday, March 28, 2024

Court orders Zambian Watchdog to pay K60 million

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Lusaka High Court has ordered Zambian Watchdog Newspaper owner Lloyd Himaambo to pay K60 million to former Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Robert Mataka as damages for defamation.

This was in a matter in which Mr Mataka, now Zambia’s High Commissioner to Botswana, had sued Mr Himaambo and his Zambian Watchdog on-line publication for defamation of character, demanding aggravated and general damages and costs for defamation of character through an article he published.

Supreme Court Judge, Phillip Musonda, sitting as High Court judge, ordered Himaambo to pay Mr Mataka K40 million as general damages and K20 million as exemplary damages.

He was claiming for damages for libel contained in an article headlined ‘Mystery surrounds sale of ZLDC house’, published by the Zambian Watchdog on its front page and page two dated August 12-21, issue number 0630 of 2006.

Himaambo was also sued for libel contained in an article headlined ‘Sale of ZLDC building a scandal -ex director’, published in 2006.

Mr Justice Musonda noted in his judgment that Mr Mataka had proved his case beyond the balance of probability.

He said the payments should attract the Bank of Zambia determined deposit rate from the issuance of the writ until judgment, thereafter six per cent until payment.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

47 COMMENTS

  1. Jelous ba Lusaka Times Jelous. We know the guys you have written here have rendered you useless. What we know is that z.w online was registered in 2009 but this case was done in 2006. So, this is just the work of the state and LT you are helping 

    • i don’t think they are talking about the online paper… In 2006 ZW was available in print.

  2. I think Zambian Watchdog has gone far. Its time they became responsible for what they publish. Who doesn’t know that they write anything as long as it suits them? Serious publications take responsibility for what they write but ba Watchdog, even libelous articles are published. Its a big step towards helping them be responsible and I fully support the court.

  3. ZWD is very careless in its reporting and many more law suits are coming their way.They allow bloggers to insult even the president because he is not their prefered candidate, besides that they can’t bring a proper civilised argument.Their articles lack substance, very shallow, now that I heard the owners name that explains the issues highlighted above.SHAME

  4. The have put a bounty on the owner of ZWD, it is only a matter of time before he is arrested and the website closed down. At least LT sticks to copy and paste which is safer than producing one sided articles.

  5. “…. Zambian Watchdog Newspaper owner Lloyd Himaambo ….” Aha, that explains why Zambian Watchdog is pro UPND. So this tribal thing in politics is real. Incidentally my best friend is Tonga and we have no tribal talk between us. So why does tribe rear its ugly head in politics?

  6. Lloyd Hamambo should now know that people know who to sue after this precedent and he needs to watch what trash he circulates. Why not compare that content with the Lusaka Times???

  7. I think I will also sue him for defaming me. Maybe I could make some money basaa…! Himambo, now I clearly understand why ZWD reports like that.

  8. I many more cases waiting for that Tonga son of a… please pass judgement on atleast 4 by then he will sell all his cows.

  9. What do you expect from PF cadre judge?why has all M’meebe’s end like this for the slander,malice,etc..?

  10. Anyone with information to the whereabouts of Lloyd Himaambo should report to the nearest Zambian police station or Zambian embassy or consulate.

    Any informer will be handsomely rewarded.

  11. fools learn from their mistake but clever ones learn from other peoples’ mistake,some times i fill like this freedom of expression we abuse it too much instead of using it wisely we use it foolishly now paying the price for being foolish

  12. Was Himaambo tried in person or in abscentia? I wish i could be privy to the whole case of procedings to understand how the case was handled. Good luck ZWD!

  13. GOOD LESSON TO THIS HH SYMPATHYSER. THERE ARE ACTUALLY MORE CASES AGAINST WATCHDOG IN COURT, AND MULENGA SATA’S IS ONE OF THEM. I HOPE THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THEIR UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT. ZWD WILL ALWAYS BE A LOOSER IF THEY DONT CHANGE.

  14. So this speculation that ZWD is owned by the Tonga bulls is true! Very sad indeed that they have been exposed in this way. Soon or later we will names of those sponsoring and editing the articles, I’m very sure Halloyd is not alone in the business of scandalizing the PF led government. Watch out people, freedom of speech and information is good but you need to be realistic with what you say and write!

  15. Himaambo,now we know why,ok! Its a tribal thing Tonga inferiority complex,under 5 journalism.No wonder Not all UPND members are Tongas but all Tongas are UPND.Ok we shall see.

  16. zwd is one of the most useless website, careless in reporting ,tribal, unproffessional and it would just be good to shut it down

  17. Good for Mataka. ZWD is indeed, the worst of all Zed online sites. Full of nonsense and slander. I hope this will show ZWD that, just because you have an online paper, does’nt mean you can just print anything to the appeasement of your readers. Good call by the judge.

  18. Infact if Hon Jean Kapata and Mumbi Phiri were locked up for simply honking what more Dora who abused her office and tax payers money?

  19. This ia how ZW makes money. It is the only Zambian online publication that is heavily funded by donors. When you publish such, you think it works against them, meantime, it actually helps them to access money from donors. They just have to print or download such articles and give donors. And this being a civil matter, they just ignore and continue living comfortable lives in Europe. They know that the likes of Mataka, Sata etc will die very soon.
    So, continue publishing this and help

  20. There is something fishy about this judgement. Am told Emmanuel Mwamba is the one who has been pushing for it through Eric Silwamba. In 2006, there was no Zambian Watchdog Online. So where was this publication made? And when did online publications start having edition numbers

  21. Can anyone show me any credible and fearless newspaper that has never been sued at any one time world over.judging from the comments on this blog,its clear that the’dogs’ have a crowd of readers.this explains why alot of people have now resorted to giving the’dogs’ stories for publication.the ‘dogs’ have a very broad source of news now than before 20th sept 2011.all in all the ‘dogs’ have managed to keep us up to date.we don’t have to wait for tommorow to read today’s news like what is obtaining on lt.the ‘dogs’ are very good but they must start blocking insulting bloggers for them to be excellent.

  22. It’s high tme pipo know what freedom of speech means. Freedom of speech does not mean insurts against one another. It means freedom to constructive issues which can develope the nation without one subjected to theats.

  23. This site knows some psychology. It wil go very far. Enemies wl make it successful for sure. If yu want to destroy it make the haste slowly!

  24. I’ve learn a few good stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you set to create this type of wonderful informative site.

  25. Leave him alone. He is only telling us what the government is hiding.. Zambia has always been biased – tribalism exists in Zambia – we see it work, at home etc..! Churches in Zambia are based on TRIBE

    In the north, northeast and eastern provinces of Zambia – the country is riddled with incest. It has become a norm among people in copperbelt, Mkushi and northern parts of the country as well as eastern part – fathers defiling their daughters ata se. Fight this trend fight it and stop tribal games and tribal wars  / fights

  26. You can not have a case for a Tonga CEO being decided by a cadre. Let us learn to be fair, And I edge everyone just for the Love of our country let us support what is right and not codemn, wether you accept it or not in my proffessional studies as an international jounalist, watchdog is the best news website the country has and will ever have regardless of who owns it and who supports it.

  27. I believe that is among the so much vital information for me. And i’m satisfied reading your article. But wanna remark on some general issues, The website style is great, the articles is in point of fact great : D. Just right job, cheers

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