Sikhala book launch disruptor served with letter of demand

The Messenger of Court in Masvingo has successfully served a letter of demand for US$150,000 on Zanu-PF activist Esau Mutanho, who recently made headlines after disrupting the launch of opposition politician Job Sikhala's biography at Charles Austin Theatre two weeks ago.

The letter was served on Friday at Mutanho's residence, with his wife signing on his behalf to acknowledge receipt of the legal document. Mutanho now faces a tight deadline, with the letter giving him until Thursday this week to either settle the full amount or prepare to face legal action in court.

The US$150,000 claim is believed to relate to damages sought by the event organisers following the disruption, which they say caused reputational harm and financial loss. The incident, widely condemned by human rights groups and opposition supporters, has placed renewed scrutiny on the conduct of Zanu-PF activists in suppressing dissenting voices and disrupting opposition events.

Efforts to get a comment from Mutanho have so far been unsuccessful, with reports indicating he has been unreachable since the latest legal developments.

Legal experts say failure to comply with the demand could result in further civil litigation, potentially leading to asset seizures or other enforcement actions through the courts.