Swaziland: Newly-launched paper sued for defamation

A newly-launched privately-owned newspaper, Swazi Mirror, is being sued to pay damage of E800 000 (US $150 000) by the publisher of a rival paper, the Times of Swaziland.

 

In a letter of demand, Paul Loffler, publisher of the privately-owned Times claimed the Mirror recently published defamatory articles about him. In one of the articles published on 6 February 2010, he claims the Mirror alleged that Loffler pays himself E1 million a month as salary whilst his employees earn peanuts.

 

“If one juxtaposes our client’s alleged monthly remuneration of E1 million (which is not true) with the employees’ salaries, in the context, it implied our client is greedy, selfish and has no regard for the employees’ welfare,” a letter from Loffler’s lawyers to the Mirror said.

 

The Times’ publisher claimed he suffered damages to the amount of E400 000 (US$75 000) as a result of the publication of the said article.

                                                                                                                          

He is further suing the Mirror for another E400 000 (US$75 000) for an alleged defamatory article published on 14 February 2010 stating that the newspaper management compensated one of its late journalists with vegetables worth E250 for 15 years of service. The lawyers claim the article suggested their client donated cabbages to the deceased’s family in lieu of monies due to the late journalist.

 

As a result of the article, Loffler claimed he suffered damages to the amount of E400 000.

 

The Editor of the Mirror, Charles Matsebula, quoted in the Swazi Observer newspaper, said they were ready to defend themselves. Matsebula, an ex employee of the Times, said they stood by their reports.

 

However, if the lawsuit is successful, it is likely to cripple the new publication which is struggling to survive.

 

 

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Reagan Malumo

Programme Officer: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat

21 Johann Albrecht St

Private Bag 13386

Windhoek

Namibia

Phone: +264 61 232 975

Fax: +264 61 248 016

Mobile: +264 81 311 2626

Official Email: reagan@misa.org

Private Email: reagan32002@yahoo.com

 

-March 3, 2010 by MISA

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Source: www.misa.org (received via email alert 02.03.10)