Zwambila wins lawsuit against Wafawarova
Jacqueline Zwambila, the former Zimbabwean ambassador to Australia, has won her defamation claim against pro-Zanu PF blogger Mr Reason Wafawarova.
Ms Zwambila sued Wafawarova for defamation after he generated world headlines with claims that she had stripped in front of embassy staff.
In a judgment issued by Justice Hilary Penfold, Mr Wafawarova’s defence was struck out and damages will now be assessed. The judgment referenced claims by the Wafawarova’s lawyers that he has no money and will enter bankruptcy.
Zimbabwean state-run newspaper The Herald published the claims made about Zwambila, in November 2010, saying she had disrobed in front of three staff during a heated argument.
Some regard stripping naked as a traditional protest to shame an opponent.
Wafawarova then republished the article on his personal website. The Australian also published Wafawarova’s claims about the then newly appointed envoy days after The Herald printed them.
An incensed Ms Zwambila launched a lawsuit against The Australian’s publisher, News Limited, and Wafawarova in 2011.
She claimed damages for The Australian’s ”negligent journalism, in that it failed to contact the [ambassador] before publishing the item to attempt to verify such serious allegations about a person of her standing”.
”The plaintiff has been greatly injured in her credit, reputation, and profession as a diplomat, and has been brought into public scandal, odium, and contempt,” a statement of claim filed in court said.
In January this year Wafawarova wanted the courts in Australia to set aside a default judgment by a Canberra judge which found him guilty of defaming Zwambila. Wafawarova said he wanted the matter to proceed to a full hearing so that he could justify his claims.
“The application by the claimant to have my defence struck out on obnoxious technicalities is nothing but a cowardly attempt at escaping a full hearing of the case, a shameful fleeing from glaring and irrefutable evidence,” said Wafawarova.
“That will not be allowed to happen. The Zimbabwe Embassy in Canberra still stands with allegations it raised against Ms Zwambila on November 11 2011 and in its latest media statement the embassy has categorically stated those allegations as fact, and that makes it more compelling for the court case to be heard on its merits,” Wafawarova said at the time.
