News / National
Tendai Biti wins
12 Jul 2014 at 20:18hrs | Views
Daily News must publish an apology to former MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti after it claimed that Biti revealed working with top Zanu-PF officials, war veterans, nationalists and some unnamed rich and powerful nations in his bid to politically bury his ally-turned foe Morgan Tsvangirai.
Biti registered a complaint with the VMCZ over a news story published by the Daily News on the 7th of April 2014 headed "Tsvangirai Plot; Dossier claims Mangoma, Biti working with ZANU PF; Western donors fingered in conspiracy".
Biti is aggrieved and says the article made serious allegations against his person and claims the allegations are defamatory.
Biti also indicated in his complaint that there have been engagements between himself and the Daily News to resolve the issue. Biti wants the Daily News to retract the story.
Biti and Daily News Editor Stanley Gama appeared before, and made their submissions to the Media Complaints Committee (MCC).
The MCC, after carefully considering submissions from both parties and analysing the alleged 'MDC dossier' noted that there is no evidence that Biti was given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations leveled against him;
Its also said that the dossier provided by the DailyNews cannot be said to be an authentic 'MDC dossier' and that there is no evidence to validate the allegations leveled against the complainant in the news story.
The MCC ruled that the Daily News must publish an apology and retraction within seven days; or file an appeal within 14 days should the newspaper feel the need to appeal the judgment.
Biti registered a complaint with the VMCZ over a news story published by the Daily News on the 7th of April 2014 headed "Tsvangirai Plot; Dossier claims Mangoma, Biti working with ZANU PF; Western donors fingered in conspiracy".
Biti is aggrieved and says the article made serious allegations against his person and claims the allegations are defamatory.
Biti also indicated in his complaint that there have been engagements between himself and the Daily News to resolve the issue. Biti wants the Daily News to retract the story.
The MCC, after carefully considering submissions from both parties and analysing the alleged 'MDC dossier' noted that there is no evidence that Biti was given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations leveled against him;
Its also said that the dossier provided by the DailyNews cannot be said to be an authentic 'MDC dossier' and that there is no evidence to validate the allegations leveled against the complainant in the news story.
The MCC ruled that the Daily News must publish an apology and retraction within seven days; or file an appeal within 14 days should the newspaper feel the need to appeal the judgment.
Source - Byo24News
