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Four subpoenaed over 3bn/- libel suit
DAILY NEWS Reporter, 1st March 2010 @ 11:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 155
THE High Court has ordered activist Kainerugaba Msemakweli and three other defendants to appear before it on March 23, this year, in the suit lodged against them by Ukonga Member of Parliament (MP) Makongoro Mahanga, demanding 3bn/- damages for libel.
According to a summons issued by the court's District Registrar Saul Kinemela and published by 'Daily News' last Friday, the defendants are required to show up either in person or by an advocate, failure of which the court will proceed with the matter in their absence.
The summons further indicates that the defendants are required to produce all documents on that day with which they intend to rely on in support of their defence case against the suit by Dr Mahanga, who is also the Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment and Youth Development.
Other defendants in the suit are Nipashe Newspaper reporter Muhibu Saidi, Managing Editor of Nipashe and its publisher -- the Guardian Limited.
Dr Mahanga is suing them for what he described as 'malicious publication of defamatory articles' against him.
The deputy minister says in the plaint of the suit that Mr Msemakweli convened a press conference on October 18, last year, in Dar es Salaam and told journalists that he was among politicians who are parading fake academic credentials.
Through his advocate, Kennedy Fungamtama, Dr Mahanga, who is also a member of National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), stated that Nipashe Newspaper published such defamatory statements by Msemakweli on October 19, last year.
During the press conference, he stated, Msemakweli claimed that the deputy minister was falsely claiming to be a holder of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Such statements, according to Dr Mahanga, were defamatory and were tailored to injure his reputation in the society.
For that matter, he claimed, he was entitled to the damages of 3bn/- or as may be assessed by the court, but not less than 200m/-, as the words uttered and reproduced contained false, incorrect and distortions, aimed to tarnish his reputation as a good citizen and reliable person.
Nadhani labda kesi hii ina mengi zaidi ya yaliyoripotiwa hapa, kama ni haya tu basi Mahanga awe makini sana kwani anaweza kuwa anapanda slippery slope.