‘Carry your own cross’ – Lumumba told following collapse of his marriage

Controversial businessman Gerald Mutumanje popularly known as Acie Lumumba has been told to blame himself for the collapse of his marriage and not drag innocent people.

Lumumba went nuclear on social claiming corporate lawyer Zweli Lunga was dating his wife and had defrauded her of over US$200 000 from the sale of a property under the guise of investment.

He went on Facebook and posted “my wife confessed she was having an affair with Zweli Lunga and … friends and business associates I had known for over 10 years … Zweli got her to sell all my assets which I have no issues with, I will rebuild it all.

“The real issue is her two lovers are so hell-bent over proving a point they are using all influence to restrict me from access to my son ….” –

This has however not gone unnoticed with Lunga’s lawyers demanding that he retract the defamatory statements he made on social media failure of which attracts civil and criminal suit.

Lunga through his lawyers says his reputation has been severely hurt by the malicious and false allegations peddled by Lumumba.

It is their argument that a simple verification was enough for Lumumba to see that he was posting false information.

“A simple verification with our client would have cleared all the issues that you rushed to publish. If you had verified with him you would have shelved posting such malicious and defamatory statements simply meant to destroy the goodwill and the reputation our client has built for himself,” the letter reads.

Lunga’s say they are not taking lightly allegations he dated Lumumba’s wife Lilian Madyara.

“It is not factually correct, that our client is your wife’s lover nor is it factually correct that he duped your wife of the purchase price of her house under the guise of investment.

“Our client is happily married to one wife, he does not indulge in extramarital affairs with other ladies nor does he indulge in extramarital affairs with his clients let alone with married women,” Lunga’s lawyers wrote to Lumumba.

The lawyers further told Lumumba to approach the right forum for him to have access to his child and not drag people in his own mess but carry his own cross.

“Our client instructs us to give you free advice that you should desist from the practice of dragging other people into your marital issues with your wife. It is elementary that if you want to have access of your child in the event of resistance from the custodian parent you simply approach the Children’s Court.

“If you do not know where it is located, you can knock on our door and we will assign a legal clerk to show you. An order granting access to your child is not obtained on Twitter or Facebook but from a Court of Law of competent jurisdiction.”

The lawyers say if Lumumba does not retract, they will file a criminal complaint of cyber bullying and harassment and also institute civil proceedings.

“In light of the above, our strict instructions are to demand, as we hereby do, the publication of a full, unconditional, and unreserved withdrawal of those defamatory statements, pictures, and related imputations together with an expression of regret on the same online platforms within two hours of receiving this letter as well as for you to delete the posts in question,” the lawyer reads.

“In the same vein, please note that our client reserves the right to institute criminal charges against you. We urge you to consider Section 164B, 164C of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act [Chapter 9:23] as amended by the Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07].

“These two offences create provisions relating to Cyberbullying, harassment and transmission of false data messages intending to cause harm. We enjoin you to take these allegations seriously, failing which you will only have yourself to blame.

“In the event that you fail to retract and delete defamatory statements as demanded, our client shall proceed to issue summons and claim damages for defamation as well as lodge a criminal complaint against you without any further notice to you,” the letter further reads.