Zimbabwen pilot successfully sues Namibian newspapers for N$500 000

Alois Nyandoro believed to be of Zimbabwean origin, who sued The Namibian newspaper for N$500 000 over an article that appeared in the paper in 2010 was granted judgment in his favour by Judge Kato van Niekerk.

The New Era online reported that the judge ordered The Namibian, its former editor, Gwen Lister and journalist Jana-Mari Smith to pay Nyandoro the sum of N$80 000 jointly and severally.

She said the defendants should pay interest on the sum at the rate of 20% per annum from date of judgment until the date of the final settlement.

The judge ordered the defendants to pay the costs of the law suit.

The lawsuit is the result of an article Smith wrote in which she claimed Nyandoro used his position as the Head of Training and Standards at Air Namibia to "falsify information for a South African to get a local flying license."

The report also alleged Nyandoro tried to get a flight trainer and examiner, Ralph Brammer, to transfer information contained on a form used by the airline onto a form used by the Directorate Civil Aviation (DCA) allegedly to create the impression that a South African pilot had completed the required practical test flights as required by the DCA.

Apparently this was after the DCA withdrew the South African pilot, Cebile Mndawe.

Judge Van Niekerk did not give reasons for the judgment, but indicated that reasons will follow.
Sisa Namandje appeared on behalf of Nyandoro and Advocate Andrew Corbett for the defendants.