Biti Sues Daily News

FORMER Finance Minister Tendai Biti is suing the Daily News for a whopping US$2 million dollars on defamation charges after the independent daily wrote that the former Energy Minister was working in cahoots with Zanu PF and some unnamed western embassies to oust Morgan Tsvangirai from the leadership of the party.
 
Expelled MDC-T deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma and his former boss in the party's finance department Roy Bennet are also linked to the plot.
 
In his submissions made at the Harare High Court on 17 April 2014, Biti cites a reporter with the daily, Lyod Mbiba, Stanley Gama, the paper's editor and Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe the proprietors of  The Daily as the 1st,2nd,and 3rd respondents respectively.
 
Biti argues that, "The said article was wrongful and defamatory of the Plaintiff in that it was intended and was understood by the readers of the newspaper and its internet page that Plaintiff is dishonesty, corrupt, conspiratory, unworthy, a plotter, a schemer."
 
He adds, "More particularly the aforesaid article was understood to mean that the rebels and indeed the Plaintiff was:-
 
(a)      A corrupt and dishonest individual who had benefited from Zanu PF corruption, tenders, and other illegal deals, including obtaining farm implements.
(b)     A sell out, conspirator who had betrayed the cause of his Party by working with Zanu PF.
(c)      Had sabotaged the 2013 election by ensuring that Morgan Tsvangirai did not win.
(d)     A thief in that he had stolen money from the Party.
(e)      Was corrupt and dishonesty in that he was working with Zanu PF.
(f)      Had corruptly and against the provisions of the law receiving money from the USA, Britain, Australian, Schandinavian and other countries which he had diverted anyway.
(g)     Manipulative in that he had diverted the Party's staff in particular Toendepi Shonhe and Fortune Gwaze.
(h)     A spy or worked with agents in spying on Mrs Tsvangirai and trying to manipulate him.
(i)      Malicious and evil in that he sponsored cyber-warfare against Morgan Tsvangirai.
(j)      In the process he had sponsored or co-owned internet sites like Radio Chokwadi and Harvest Likis.
 
 
As a result of the defamation, Biti argues that he, "has been damaged in his reputation and has suffered damages in the sum of US$2 000 000.00 (two million dollars)."