City of Harare official sued for defamation

A senior police officer in the City of Harare has successfully won a defamation lawsuit against a fellow officer after being subjected to damaging messages on social media.

Tawanda Manhando brought the case against Message Sadomba, alleging that Sadomba posted several defamatory messages about him on the council's Metropolitan Police WhatsApp group. The messages, Manhando claimed, questioned his integrity as a municipal officer and were intended to tarnish his reputation, intimidate him, and cause emotional distress.

However, Sadomba denied any intention to defame his colleague and argued that he had since retracted the messages, calling the lawsuit "of bad taste," according to court documents.

Despite this defense, Trial Magistrate Halib Fazilahmend ruled in favor of Manhando. The magistrate ordered Sadomba to pay US$2,000 in damages, noting that the apology appeared insincere and motivated by fear of disciplinary action, as Manhando is Sadomba's superior.

"The defendant seemed, as the court noted, to only apologise as the plaintiff is his superior and fears disciplinary retaliation," the magistrate stated. "From his conduct, it's difficult to ascertain what he meant with the apology and retraction. In light of that fact, he still stands with what he said, nullifying the retraction and possibly apologising only because he was forced to do so."

The court further ordered Sadomba to cover the costs of the suit on an ordinary scale.

This ruling underscores the seriousness with which the courts regard defamation, especially within professional and workplace environments, emphasizing the importance of maintaining respect and integrity among colleagues.