Speaker sues Malawi Broadcasting Corp for defamation

Speaker of Parliament, Richard Msowoya has sued public funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for defamation.

Msowoya sued MBC over a report it carried on April 15, 2016 on allegations connecting the Speaker to a stolen laptop at the Ministry of Finance.

MBC reported that Msowoya used his Personal Assistant Patrick Kayira to steal the laptop from the said ministry with the aim of spying on the government.

Lawyer for Msowoya, Innocentia Ottober said the report aired by MBC on radio and television as well as published on the broadcaster’s website  “ ordinarily meant and were understood to mean that Msowoya is a crook, untrustworthy, dishonest, corrupt, a thief, a pervert and a criminal.”

He said the report by MBC was “unjustified attack” on Msowoya, who is also vice president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Msowoya is demanding damages for defamation, distress, embarrassment and inconvenience.

MBC, through its lawyer Chancy Gondwe, denied that their report wanted to portray Msowoya as a crook or a criminal and wants the suit to be dismissed with costs.

The matter has since been referred to mediation