Chombo seeks payment for alleged defamation in ‘record time’

By Tichaona Sibanda
06 December

Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo is demanding Z$300 million from the Financial Gazette in an effort to stop the weekly newspaper from publishing further details of ongoing investigations into his alleged corruption. Chombo is suing the paper’s editor-in-chief Sunsleey Chamunorwa for Z$300 million in ‘damages for defamation’. The Financial Gazette has been reporting on corruption at the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco), which included details about police investigations into how senior government officials, including Chombo himself, had allegedly benefited.

Already the investigations have seen the arrest and jailing of Zupco board chairman, Charles Nherera. Chombo and Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga, a former chief executive officer of the company, were called in to testify. Chamunorwa said they stand by their story and would not be intimidated. Former student leader and human rights activist Courage Shumba said Chombo’s action is a deliberate intimidation of free voices.‘This is part of Zanu (PF)’s mediocrity which culminates in trying to use the law selectively to try to seek redress in cases that are non-founded. Chombo has no case, he is a public officer who should come out in the open and simply say he’s not involved in corruption, otherwise as it is he has a case to answer,’ Shumba said.

The outspoken former University of Zimbabwe Student Representative Council vice-president, who was severely tortured in 2000 by the CIO and police in Harare for his concerns over media freedom, said it would be ludicrous to pay Chombo that amount.