Chaponda to proceed with defamation case against Times

Former Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda is going to proceed with defamation case against media giant Times Group and some of its editorial staff in connection to stories and comments regarding the 2017 maize procurement deal from Zambia after the Zomba Magistrate Court found he had no case to answer in corruption-related charges.

Chaponda: Suing Times

Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda adjournedthe matter until the Zomba criminal case for Chaponda was disposed off.

Chief resident magistrate (CRM) Paul Chiotcha also acquitted Chaponda on all three charges which included giving false information to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), influencing a public officer to misuse his position and possession of foreign currency.

Chaponda, who is also Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice president for the South, now wants to proceed with the defamation case.

The DPP guru said the maize procurement  was “greatly politicized and the facts were twisted as part of a systematic and vicious smear campaign against me. Notwithstanding the attempts to tarnish my name, I am grateful that the truth has come out. The court has shown without a shadow of doubt that there was no legitimate case against me.”

Chaponda is also seeking damages from Times reporter Alick Ponje and Daily Times assistant editor Madalitso Mussa.

He claims that the scribes “falsely and maliciously” published defamatory words of the minister and that the Sunday Times positioned Chaponda’s picture against a headline of ‘Epitome of Decadence’ an opinion piece, claiming it was calculated to portray the minister as a morally rotten person.

Chaponda is claiming damages for libel, exemplary and aggravated damages for libel and legal costs

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oMachemba
oMachemba
5 years ago

Those who are not willing to accept the judgment by the learned court are simply being uncouth. We are a lucky bunch, us Malawians, now that our current legal system is as independent as everywhere else. And some of us know how civilized this scenario is, compared to pre-1994 when everybody was considered guilty and never proven not guilty. Aren’t we a nation of laws, abale inu? Are we to be satisfied only when someone is found guilty? I can gladly guarantee one thing: there is no going back to the bad old days of extra judicial undertakings, just because… Read more »

Chithupsya
Chithupsya
5 years ago

Zimene mukubwebweta apazi ndi zomwe zibvulalitse Times Group Ujatu wotsutsa boma wa Ku Zambia amene anayambitsa nkhaniyi zinali ndale zolimbana ndi boma kwawoko ngati momwe aluchitira a Chakwera kunoko ndiyeno a Times Group nkuzitengera pa mgong’o. Lero ndi izi zawatsaliira m’ mañja. Ku khothi kuli malamulo operekera umboni ndiye ngati timawumboni tanuto tiri tololedwa( admissible) at this stage tiyenazoni bola mubwere poyera osati za electronic’ zo. Choti mudziwe nchakuti Simukakwera pa msana wa legal team ya Times Group ayi mukapanga hayala ( hire) legal team yanu mukawone ma lawyer momwe amabandulira ma fees awo milandu ya ma million ngati imeneyi.… Read more »

Ntengo wa Kesia
Ntengo wa Kesia
5 years ago
Reply to  Chithupsya

Zoona zimenezi mwanena apa. Awuzeni.
Bwanankubwa Chaponda asalole apoloje (apology) ai; atenge restitution (fine) basi.

Max nsani
Max nsani
5 years ago

If the agriculture parliamentary committee found the conduct of the Minister potentially corrupt, and a commission ofinquiry found the conduct of the minister to be corrupt, what basis would be this defamation of character law suit? Don’t cower times group, this man has not been found not guilty?, but the prosecution did a sloppy job of building a clear cut a winnable one. A ruling of no case to answer is not a not guilty verdict. Let the times time start a campaign to urge people who want to seen justice done against looters of public funds contribute towards a… Read more »

Kambewa Chisale
5 years ago

Let the game begin. Top DPP are above the law in this shit government. Chaponda you think you are smart that Malawians ULI bulutu. Let me advise the Judge your sins zizaonekela. What happened maxson Mbendela after duing the dirty work. Judge Chiocha one of those days when they have finished using you adzakupatsani tarmec. Ndiye mudztsetseleka.

William hulme
William hulme
5 years ago

Times must surely be sued for defamation because of unprofessional conduct in their reporting and editorial team work. Chaponda will be certainly rewarded huge damages against times group. This will cripple or finish off times group. Umbuli ku times group kupusa

Bullshit
Bullshit
5 years ago

Can you sue Kamlepo too as he was the one telling all Malawians that inu mumafunadi kutibera.

Charlie Hebdo
Charlie Hebdo
5 years ago

That Magistrate Chiotcha cleared you of all charges does not mean you are not guilty. Two Commissions of inquiries, one appointed by your own president found you had a case to answer. Between a determination by a group of people and one by a single person, in this case Chiotcha, which one is more credible? What we are witnessing under this DPP government is organized corruption. We have a very powerful corrupt politician who has all the judges, most lawyers, all law enforcement agencies under his arm pits. Are you surprised that these crooks are doing all they can to… Read more »

Junior Flames
5 years ago

Frankly speaking Times Group behavior towards Chaponda was uncalled for. Dr. Chaponda is an elderly man, married with children and some extended families to look after. Further he has the responsibility of taking care of his constituency. He needed respect of some kind. Times Group in their writing, it was as if Chaponda is useless, and were portraying a picture to the public that he is a thief in his totality. Several allegations including the fact that Chaponda and his Zambian crooks shared millions of money plus plus many issues demonizing him as if he is a total thief. I… Read more »

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
5 years ago

Only in a sleepy country like Malawi can a corrupt politicians sue for defamation of character when true evidence show clearly that there was wrongdoing. Why would one expose themselves to another trial which may lift fresh implicating evidence. That is arrogance of note. I suggest Times ask the public to submit electronically any evidence that readers have that would assist the their case. Some of us have so much implicating evidence that cannot be refuted by the courts. This time around it will be in the hands of Times for them to win the case. We will be the… Read more »

William hulme
William hulme
5 years ago

We are too partisan and naive/amateur in Malawi when it comes to journalism. Media outlets are not courts of law to pass guilty verdicts. Times Group is shamelessly MCP mouth piece. Billions of kwachas in damages will kill times group which is already on death bed financially. Times Group please grow up, stop being used by MCP and overzealous Malawians. Get rid of your unprofessional editors or resend them to school. Soon you will close down your media house or go into bankrupt.

Phiri
Phiri
5 years ago

End of Times group. Atolankh
ani

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