Jappie slaps Kamlepo with K100mil law suit for ‘defamation’

Information minister Jappie Mhango has slapped firebrand government critic Kamlepo Kalua for defamation, demanding K100 million in injuries for allegedly saying the minister is behind the violence that erupted recently at an opposition rally in Mzuzu.

Kalua described the suit as laughable saying political statements are not defamatory in nature.

In an interview, Mhngo said he has engaged lawyer Wapona Kita to pursue the matter in the courts.

“My lawyer has given him 28 days to make the payment or face the court,” said Mhango.

The minister, who is also the organising secretary of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said it was not true that he was behind the violence that erupted in Mzuzu when the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Peoples Party (PP) top leadership held the rally jointly.

“Kalua said I organised the roughnecks, I paid for the violence, this is not true. Kamlepo said I was in Mzuzu on that day, this is not true, I was in Blaantyre. Kamlepo has been saying wild things in parliament about me and the government, I hope this will be a lesson to him,” said Mhango.

However, Kalua sounded unmoved and unfazed when told that he faces a staggering K100 million suit.

“This is laughable. I spent 100 days in police custody and the courts awarded me K6 million so what is he talking about. We shall meet in the courts because I am not paying K100 million. After all, political statements are not defamatory in nature,” said Kalua.

The PP second vice president said he has evidence Mhango was in Mzuzu on Sunday when four people were hacked by panga wielding thugs and MCP president Lazarus Chakwera and PP acting president Uladi Mussa were among those that witnessed the hacking of the political followers by the blood thirst thugs.