Court Slams Kamangila in Defamation Battle as Judge Manda Wins Major Legal Victory
Private practice lawyer and self-styled corruption whistleblower Alexious Kamangila has suffered a major legal blow after the High Court ruled that he is liable to pay damages to High Court Judge Kenan Manda in a high-profile defamation case stemming from statements made in October 2024.
In a hard-hitting ruling, High Court Judge Howard Pemba faulted Kamangila for failing to comply with court directions and effectively shut down his defence, paving the way for damages to be assessed against him.
The ruling followed an application filed last Friday by Judge Manda’s lawyer, Michael Goba Chipeta, who accused Kamangila of ignoring critical procedural requirements issued during a scheduling conference held on March 5, 2025.
According to Chipeta, Kamangila failed to file witness statements and skeleton arguments within the required 21-day period — a failure the court has now treated as a serious default.
Justice Pemba ruled that Kamangila had indeed breached the court’s scheduling directions and certified that Manda’s application should proceed ex parte — meaning the matter could be heard without prior service on the defendant.
The ruling now leaves Kamangila exposed to potentially massive financial consequences.
Justice Pemba further ordered that the assessment of compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages be referred to the Registrar of the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal, who will determine the amount payable on a date yet to be announced.
In addition to the damages, the court issued sweeping restraining orders against Kamangila.
“The defendant is hereby permanently restrained, whether by himself, his servants, agents, associates, legal practitioners, or any person acting at his direction or procurement, from publishing or causing to be published the same or substantially similar defamatory words concerning the claimant,” reads part of the order.
The court also ordered Kamangila to immediately erase the contested publications.
“The defendant shall within 24 hours of service of this order, remove, delete, take down or procure the removal of the offending publications complained of in the statement of case and any materially similar publication within his custody, power or control,” the order further states.
The judgment marks a dramatic escalation in the legal confrontation between the two men, a dispute that has attracted significant public attention due to Kamangila’s profile as an outspoken anti-corruption activist and commentator on governance issues.
Judge Manda’s original demand letter, dated October 7, 2024, sought K250 million in damages, a public apology and an immediate halt to what were described as defamatory statements and false allegations against the judge.
Although Kamangila has since indicated that he disagrees with the ruling, the latest court decision represents a significant setback that not only weakens his legal position, but also raises serious questions about the consequences of public allegations made without successfully defending them before the courts.
The case now moves to the damages assessment stage, where Kamangila could face a substantial financial penalty in addition to the permanent restrictions imposed by the court.
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