Moyo sues Dabengwa, Nkomo for $2bln

Moyo sues Dabengwa, Nkomo for $2bln

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By Staff Reporter

THE political struggles within Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF party have ended in the courtroom after the voluble Information Minister Jonathan Moyo filed a defamation suit of $2 billion (about £42 000) against two senior officials.

Moyo who has been engaged in a bitter war of words with Zanu PF national chairman John Nkomo and politburo member Dumiso Dabengwa filed the suit at the High Court on the day it was confirmed he had been excluded from representing the party in March's Parliamentary elections.

Moyo's action comes after a meeting held in Tsholotsho recently and attended by the two officials where defamatory statements were allegedly made.

In summons filed at the Bulawayo High Court, Moyo claims Dabengwa and Nkomo had told party supporters that he plotted a coup against President Robert Mugabe. Moyo says that was a lie.

"On the 12th of January 2005, both defendants addressed a public meeting in Tsholotsho where both defendants said of and concerning the plaintiff words to the following effect:

"That plaintiff (Moyo) had instigated, funded and led the hatching of a coup plot against President Robert Mugabe and others in the top leadership of the Zanu-PF party, with the view of removing the national leadership of the Government," Moyo's lawyers said.

Moyo also says that the two officials had alleged the formation of a document now referred to as the Tsholotsho Declaration, and that Moyo had sourced money from unfriendly foreign governments which he was now distributing in Zimbabwe.

"The statements by the defendants (Nkomo, Dabengwa) of and concerning the plaintiff were false, wrongful, unlawful and highly defamatory of the plaintiff.

"As a result of the aforesaid defamatory statements, plaintiff has suffered damages in his fair name and reputation in the sum of $2 000 000 000 (two billion dollars).

"Wherefore plaintiff claims against both defendants jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved accordingly," read part of the summons.

Moyo is also claiming interest on the amount from the time the summons are served on the two and the costs of the suits.
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