Nyarota sues over 'the Gukurahundi brand manager' label

VETERAN journalist and former Daily News editor Geoffrey Nyarota has filed a $1 million defamation suit against Alpha Media Holdings over a letter to the editor published in the company's daily newspaper, Newsday, in December last year.

Summons were issued at the High Court on November 20 this year.

The letter titled "Is Newsday MDC-T Mouthpiece" stated that Nyarota was "the Gukurahundi brand manager", the words that the journalist feels are highly defamatory.

Part of the published article read: "Like Geoff Nyarota, you have ascribed yourselves the role of being brand managers for the MDC-T, as much as he was the Gukurahundi brand manager."

Nyarota said the statement was malicious and defamatory.

Nyarota's lawyers Hove and Associates cited Newsday former editor Constantine Chimakure, AMH, Munn Marketing and strand Multiprint were as respondents.

Nyarota argues that his professional reputation was seriously injured and his character was damaged by the published article.

"By publishing the letter in question, Newsday damaged the reputation, image and the illustrious name of the plaintiff.

"The article also exposed him to public condemnation, contempt, ridicule and hatred as well as the potential risk of retribution on an issue that is emotional, sensitive and ethically divisive," read the summons.