Suspended Minister of Agriculture Dr George Chaponda has sued one of the Malawi’s leading and fearless media house, Times Group for defamatory, Maravi Post can reveal.
According to the document dated 30 January, 2017 from the lawyers of Chaponda of M & M Global Law Consultant, this follows the article published in the Malawi Newspaper of January 28 to 3 February, 2017.
The title of the article was the ‘Defiant Chaponda’ of which the Agriculture Minister through his lawyers described as defamatory.
“We believe that the title of the story was defamatory as in simple term it means to offer resistance to something or challenge something,” reads part of the document.
The document argued that the publication was intended to portray an appalling image of Chaponda and attacking his character as a public official as well as an individual.
The story was about the K26 billion Zambia maize-gate scandal.
However, Times Group is yet to issue a comment on the matter.
Recently ADMARC and its Chief Executive Officer Foster Mulumbe obtained the high court injunction of restricting the Times Group from carrying stories concern the Zambia maize deal.
Chaponda was suspended as the Minister by the Mzuzu high court in January this year but he is still carrying his ministerial duties a thing which is being described as a contempt of court by some Civil Society Organizations.