Malawi minister Ganda demands compensation from newspaper, threatens to sue Weekend Times
Malawi deputy minister of trade, Sam Ganda is demanding apology, retraction and compensation from a sensational tabloid, Weekend Times for reporting that he was assaulted by a woman in Nsanje.
According to the published report, Ganda, who is also MP for Nsanje Lalanje, infuriated the woman-identified as Annie Khembo-when he alleged that she was his close confidante during a meeting which was also attended by Khembo’s husband, Hussein Jaffali.
The newspaper quoted Khembo confirming that she grabbing Ganda by the neck, saying ““I wanted to punch him before l was restrained.”
Khembo, according to the weekly, said she became infuriated when the deputy minister told the meeting that she informs him about the goings-on in the area.
“What I dint like was that he claimed that l call him regularly which is not true. My husband suspects that there is something going on between me and the MP. The allegation was damaging. I am not happy, with what the MP said, it was too personal,” she said.But Ganda is disputing the report saying the story is a fabrication and is threatening to sue the newspaper.
He has engaged lawyer Maxwell Tembo of Joseph and Maxwell law firm.
Tembo confirmed to Nyasa Times on Friday that he has written the Blantyre Newspapers Limited, the publishers of Weekend Times on the matter.
The lawyer said Ganda is demanding a published retraction and apology as well as a “substantial sum” as “compensation” for the alleged damage caused to his reputation, failing which legal action will be taken against the newspaper.
“The whole story is a fabrication. It is just malicious publication, nothing true in it,” said Tembo
Chiromo police station spokesperson Samson Balakasi said there was no assault at the meeting. He said there were security officers but never recorded any assault incident.
