(MISA/IFEX) – The High Court has ordered the “Zimbabwe Independent” to show cause why it should not be stopped from publishing stories of an alleged lawsuit by the Ford Foundation against Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo, “The Herald” reported on Wednesday 4 April 2001. Justice Chinhengo issued the order on Tuesday […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The High Court has ordered the “Zimbabwe Independent” to show cause why it should not be stopped from publishing stories of an alleged lawsuit by the Ford Foundation against Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo, “The Herald” reported on Wednesday 4 April 2001.
Justice Chinhengo issued the order on Tuesday 3 April following an urgent application by Moyo. The order requires the “Zimbabwe Independent” to file a response to the application, which will be heard in court on 12 April.
Moyo is seeking an interdict for the weekly business newspaper to stop reporting on the story. He stands accused of “fraud, misappropriation or other acts of theft and embezzlement” in the case, which is said to be before the Kenyan High Court.
According to “The Herald”, Dumisani Muleya, the writer of the articles alleging that Moyo defrauded or misappropriated US$108,000 (Z$6 million) from the Ford Foundation, was cited as the first respondent in the application.
The editor of the paper, Iden Wetherell, and its publishers are cited as the second and third respondents in the matter, respectively. The respondents had argued that the matter was not urgent, but Justice Chinhengo dismissed their argument.
Advocate Anele Matika, instructed by Terrence Hussein of Hussein and Rachhod and Company, represented Moyo, while Linda Cook of Atherstone and Cook appeared for the respondents.
