Tendai Biti Vs Daily News - latest

Tendai 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.

STATUS: Pending
Tendai Biti and Daily News Editor Stanley Gama made their submissions to the Media Complaints Committee (MCC). The MCC, after carefully considering submissions from both parties and documentary evidence provided by the Daily News noted that:

1) there is no evidence that Tendai Biti was given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the allegations leveled against him;

2) the dossier provided by the Daily News cannot be authenticated as an 'MDC dossier';

3) 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 a retraction within seven days; or file an appeal within 14 days in the case the newspaper felt the need to appeal the judgment.

The Daily News appealed the decision of the Media Complaints Committee and Tendai Biti has since filed his response to the appellant.  The appeal committee will convene shortly to consider the case.