By Albert Nxumalo
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya has filed a $ZWD1 million lawsuit against Zanu PF Youth League leaders Pupurai Togarepi and Lewis Matutu after the latter accused the central bank boss of involvement in corrupt activities.
Mangudya, through his lawyers Kantor and Immerman on Wednesday, gave Togarepi and Matutu five days to “retract the statements, apologise to our client and paid us the amount of RTGS ZWD$1 000 000” for our client defamation damages “or we shall institute proceedings against you both without further notice”.
The Zanu PF youth league this week released a list of what it claimed were corrupt party politicians and associated business leaders who were allegedly sabotaging the economy.
The central bank boss said the allegations have caused great injury to his reputation ” and impute dishonest and/ or unethical regulatory practices and or management conduct”
“The allegations are wholly untrue and unsubstantiated and have tarnished our clients name and reputation locally and internationally as he a well respected regulator, former banker and public official” the lawyers wrote in a letter dated 26 June.
“The defamation is aggravated by the fact that no attempt whatsoever was made to contact our client prior to publication, nor was our client afforded an opportunity to tell his side of the story or comment.
Mangudya instructed his lawyers to “demand the immediate retraction of the statements via a public press conference and public notice coupled with the publication of a written apology to our client signed by each of you personally and on behalf of the Zanu PF Youth League, for injury caused to his reputation by your statements”.
It is understood that several other named individuals are also considering taking legal action against the pair.
