Nkomo takes witness stand in defamation case

Nkomo takes witness stand in defamation case

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By Staff Reporter

THE high-stakes defamation case in which former Information Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo is suing Zanu PF chairman and Speaker of Parliament John Nkomo and former Home Affairs Minister Dumiso Dabengwa resumed in Bulawayo Tuesday with Moyo's legal team revising the amount of his claim.

The defamation case opened at the Bulawayo High Court before Justice Francis Bere in May but spilled over the allotted 10 days.

Moyo, now an independent MP for Tsholotsho, says in court papers that Dabengwa and Nkomo told a public meeting in Tsholotsho that he was planning a "smart coup" when he convened a meeting at Dinyane Primary School in November 2004 attended by six Zanu PF chairmen and several ministers.

Moyo's defence team called three witnesses in May -- all Zanu PF officials in Tsholotsho -- who swore that they heard Dabengwa and Nkomo make the accusations against Moyo.

Moyo was originally seeking $2 billion (old currency), but following currency adjustments which saw the the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe drop three zeros from the currency, he is now seeking Z$200 million (about US$800,000).

Moyo's case hinges on developments surrounding the race for deputy president.

Moyo and some other senior officials opposed a Zanu PF constitutional amendment dictating that the candidate should be a woman. Moyo, who was aligned with officials backing Emerson Mnangagwa for the post, insisted that the amendment was tailored to smooth Joice Mujuru's path.

Nkomo and Dabengwa backed Mujuru. A purge was later instigated by Mujuru's supporters that saw the six chairmen who attended the Dinyane Primary School meeting -- which Moyo insists was a prize giving ceremony -- suspended or expelled.

Moyo was subsequently frozen out of Zanu PF and forced Mugabe to fire him from government when he refused to back down on standing for MP in Tsholotsho as an independent.

Moyo's lawyer, Job Sibanda said Tuesday: "We were amending the amount that Moyo had initially claimed of Z$2 billion in old currency. He is now claiming $Z200 million in new currency, so we launched that application which was opposed by Dabengwa and Nkomo.

"The judge did not make a ruling on that today, he indicated that he will make his ruling together with the rest of the case."

Nkomo took the stand on Tuesday. His defence team attempted to paint Moyo as a dishonest individual, with Nkomo questioning his service to the war of liberation in which Moyo says he played a part.

Nkomo told the High Court: "I never met him. I didn't know him and I have never met anyone who says he knew him. Even in the camps that he says he was in, both in Tanzania and Zambia, I never had the privilege of knowing he was there."

Nkomo also denied making the remarks which Moyo says were defamatory of him. He was expected to continue with his evidence on Wednesday.

Nkomo and Dabengwa are represented by Francis Chirimuuta of Gula-Ndebele and Partners.
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