(MISA/IFEX) – On 6 August 2004, the newly-established English-language tabloid newspaper “Our Times”, which is owned by a company registered as Soul to Soul, was served with a summons by local law firm Nthethe and Company, on behalf of Voice Multimedia, publishers of the weekly English-language tabloid newspaper “Public Eye”. The law firm, acting on […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 6 August 2004, the newly-established English-language tabloid newspaper “Our Times”, which is owned by a company registered as Soul to Soul, was served with a summons by local law firm Nthethe and Company, on behalf of Voice Multimedia, publishers of the weekly English-language tabloid newspaper “Public Eye”.
The law firm, acting on behalf of “Public Eye” and Voice Multimedia, is demanding about 139,000 maloti (approx. US$23,000) in damages for defamation and “injury to business status and reputation”, as a result of which the paper faces possible closure. “Our Times” was launched less than one month ago.
In the 3 to 9 August edition of “Our Times”, a front page article entitled, “Thai sells ‘Public Eye'” reported that the managing editor of “Public Eye”, who is also the director of Voice Multimedia, sold “Public Eye” to a South African company because he and his wife intended to go into the printing press business.
In a letter served to “Our Times” reporter Moeti Thelejane, the article’s author, and “Our Times” editor Peter Potjo Potjo, “Public Eye” lawyers claimed that “[Our] clients have had to incur huge amounts of money running helter skelter, seeking legal advice, running advertisements, telephoning business associates and clients in an attempt to counteract the effects of your false story.”
The letter indicated that the sum demanded should be paid within seven working days or “Our Times” could expect legal action. It also stated that “Our Times” had the option of publishing a retraction of the article and paying 29,094 maloti (approx. US$4,800), which according to “Public Eye” lawyers represented the cost incurred by the tabloid in radio slots and other activities aimed at countering the “Our Times” report.
Potjo Potjo told MISA-Lesotho that “Our Times”, being a newly-established paper, does not have the sum demanded and could face possible closure if forced to pay. The editor also indicated that he would approach MISA-Lesotho formally for assistance in the matter.
Meanwhile, MISA-Lesotho has attempted to mediate in the matter. “Public Eye” managing editor Bethuel Thai indicated that he was not seeking to shut down “Our Times”, but that he wanted “Our Times” to publish a retraction, purely for business reasons.
MISA-Lesotho has urged Thai to refrain from any legal action against the new publication. The managing editor has indicated that should “Our Times” publish a retraction, no action would be taken against the publication. The “Our Times” editorial team has indicated that they would publish such a retraction.
