Obert Mpofu to pay $2000 for defamation

TRANSPORT and Infrastructure Development Minister Obert Mpofu on Tuesday withdrew an appeal in the Supreme Court against a High Court order to pay $2,000 damages for defaming a former subordinate.

Dr Mpofu allegedly defamed former mining commissioner Byl Manyange while he was Mines and Mining and Development Minister.

He was charged together with Brezhnev Malaba, the former editor of the Chronicle, who published the statements attributed to Dr Mpofu.

Manyange had sued for $30,000 but Justice Bharat Patel, at the High Court, revised the quantum of damages sought to $6,000.

Dr Mpofu is now expected to pay Manyange $2,000 while Malaba and Zimpapers will jointly pay $4,000 plus interest.

Manyange protested that in 2010, Dr Mpofu told a pass-out parade of police recruits at Ntabazinduna training depot that he was going to recall or transfer corrupt mining commissioners as they were scaring away potential investors and issuing claims for speculative purposes.

Dr Mpofu accused Manyange and other commissioners of corruption. He said the commissioners were allegedly issuing mining claims to undeserving people.

Manyange, who had been mining commissioner for Kadoma district since 1993, was served with a letter of transfer moving him to Bulawayo on allegations of arrogance and insubordination.

In his defence, Dr Mpofu argued that he was merely expressing an opinion on the prevailing state of affairs in his former Ministry.

Mpofu was also accused of claiming that Manyange and other mining commissioners were refusing to be transferred. – New Ziana