Herald scribes in the dock for writing falsehoods

Herald scribes in the dock for writing falsehoods

THE HERALD

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By Staff Reporter

THE trial of two Herald court reporters facing charges of criminally defaming a Regional Court magistrate has been postponed to February 7 after their lawyer indicated that she needed more time to study the case.

Defence lawyer Wynonah Simango told magistrate Judith Tsamba that she was not ready for the trial on Tuesday as the State did not make available the court papers on time.

Chakanetsa Chidyamatiyo (26) and Peter Matambanadzo (28) are facing seven counts of criminal defamation arising from newspaper articles the government-controlled Herald published in 2003 which repeated the lie that magistrate Betty Chidziva was unwell.

The two were initially charged together with the late newspapers entertainment editor Masimba Karikoga, who was then the publication’s chairman of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ).

State prosecutors say on May 14 2003, Chidyamatiyo allegedly wrote and published an article in The Herald claiming that Chidziva had failed to preside over a rape case involving former CAPS United midfielder Cheche Billiat because she was sick.

Chidziva had in actual fact gone to Marondera on a progress review of magistrate Manyangadze.

On July 15 and August 22, Matambanadzo is alleged to have written another article in which he said the magistrate failed to attend court on May 13 due to ill-health.

The magistrate, the State alleged, on that date in question said she was attending lessons for a Master’s Degree in Law at the University of Zimbabwe.

Matambanadzo allegedly wrote another article, claiming that Chidziva was not available in court on November 14, but the State avered that the magistrate was on duty on the day in question.

As if this was not enough, Matambanadzo is alleged to have written another article to the effect that Chidziva had summoned him to the witness stand after being questioned by her superiors for continuous postponement of Billiat’s case on the basis that she was ill.

Matambanadzo allegedly wrote that Chidziva’s illness was indicated on the court record.

The State alleged the court record in question never had such information and that the magistrate’s bosses never quizzed her.

On the seventh count, in which Matambanadzo was initially charged with Karigoka, the State alleged that on December 16 the same year, the two or one of them wrote to Chidziva’s employer, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa claiming that Matambanadzo had been hauled before the courts by the magistrate in a fit of recklessness.

On December 23 the two allegedly wrote the same falsehood in The Herald, further claiming that the court record indicated Chidziva had been ill and failing to report for work deliberately to avoid presiding over the case against Billiat.
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