Penhalonga businessmen file defamation suit against villagers

By Nyore Madzianike

Two Penhalonga businessmen are demanding $100 000 in damages from seven villagers from their area whom they are accusing of peddling falsehoods that they are involved in ritual killings.

They also accused them of spreading rumours that they were participating in other acts of moral turpitude which have resulted in them being ridiculed by people from in the area.

Washington Muchineripi Manyau and Jabulani Tambudze have since approached the Mutare High Court demanding the money from the seven saying they have grossly damaged their reputations.

They said the falsehoods might cause serious financial impairments on their businesses and harm their social standing.

The seven are Tendai Nyamayawo, Shepherd Nyahumbi, George Masamvu, Patson and Tendai Nyahanana, Tobias Nyangani and Tsitsi Masamvu all from Nyangani Village in Penhalonga, on the outskirts of Mutare.

In their summons filed at Mutare High Court, Manyau and Tambudze said: “The basis of the first and scond plaintiffs’ claim is that the aforementioned defendants have defamed, degraded, demeaned and damaged the reputation of the first and second plaintiffs.”

Manyau and Tambudze said the seven started peddling the falsehoods at the beginning of March this year.

“The first to seventh defendants were and are spreading these malicious and very damaging falsehoods against the first and second plaintiffs so much so that even the very young believe that the plaintiffs are ritual murderers and are running away whenever they meet them.”

“The first and second plaintiffs are now held in the community as miscreants who commit acts of moral turpitude which has opened them up to ridicule,” they said.

Manyau and Tambudze claimed that the seven had no evidence to support their allegations or complaints lodged with the police.

“The defendants failed dismally to sustain their allegations even before the police against first and second plaintiffs. The first and second plaintiffs’ good names and reputation was dragged through the mud because of the actions of the defendants jointly and severally,” they said. The Herald