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Information and state paper lose defamation case
MISA-Zimbabwe
August 01, 2004

The High Court, on 28 July, ordered Information and Publicity, Jonathan Moyo to pay $2.5 million (approx 400 US dollars) in defamation charges against the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ). ANZ are the publishers of the banned The Daily News and The Daily News on Sunday.

The papers were banned on 25 October 2003 under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The ANZ directors who sued Minister Moyo and the state owned media house, Zimpapers argue that defamatory statements were made against ANZ on May 17, June 3, June 10, June 14, June 15 and June 18 2003 by the state owned daily, The Herald.

The High Court also ordered the state Zimpapers, publishers of The Herald, to pay $5 million (approx US 800) and the paper’s columnist Nathaniel Manheru to pay $250 000 (Approx US40) as the second and third respondents respectively. Details of the full judgment are yet to be made public. The defendant’s lawyer Johannes Tomana said his clients would appeal against the judgment.

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