Business briefly came to a stop at Herald House yesterday when the Messenger of Court moved to attach property from Zimpapers over a $44 996,80 defamation case that the company lost in 2001.
by STAFF REPORTER
A Ford Ranger single-cab truck was lifted by a tow truck and two other trucks were on stand-by at the corner of Sam Nujoma Street and George Silundika Avenue, forcing the organisation to pay the full amount.
According to information gathered, the case involved a former judge’s clerk, Innocent Manyange.
The Zimpapers Ford Ranger vehicle which was about to be towed away yesterday
Manyange filed a claim alleging he was defamed by The Sunday Mail, citing the then news editor of the organisation’s weekly paper, Ronald Imbayago, and the late Weston Kwete as respondents over a story published in December 2001 headlined Woman on verge of losing house to conmen.
The inventory said if the company failed to pay the money and the costs of litigation, it would lose, among other things, 40 desktop computers, 20 boardroom chairs and a table, three small refrigerators, 11 chairs, four printers, five Samsung Plasma televisions and six vehicles.
Manyange saw an advert in the Herald where someone was selling a house in Tafara, while his brother sought a house in the same area.
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On calling the agents, he made a payment only to realise that the property was part of a deceased’s estate that was yet to be settled.
Manyange reportedly explained to Imbayago how he had bought the house and was allegedly promised the story would not be published as the latter acknowledged the defamatory nature of the story, but it went on to be published, resulting in the suit.
Represented by Alec Muchadehama, Manyange said Imbayago’s story gave the impression that he was dishonest and “a confidence trickster, cheat and a person not worthy of the position of the judge’s clerk”.
Despite Zimpapers’ efforts to have the execution stopped, arguing it was inappropriate, the order was granted in 2006.
