(MISA/IFEX) – Popular Gabz FM radio presenter and MISA-Botswana Chairperson Solomon Monyame and Gabz FM management have been jointly sued for the sum of Botswana Pula 1.7 million (approx. US$279,330) in damages over announcements broadcast on the station’s breakfast show on 6 June 2002. On 6 June, Monyame announced between 6:45 and 6:55 a.m. (local […]
(MISA/IFEX) – Popular Gabz FM radio presenter and MISA-Botswana Chairperson Solomon Monyame and Gabz FM management have been jointly sued for the sum of Botswana Pula 1.7 million (approx. US$279,330) in damages over announcements broadcast on the station’s breakfast show on 6 June 2002.
On 6 June, Monyame announced between 6:45 and 6:55 a.m. (local time) that he would interview Radio Botswana 2 (RB2) announcer Gloria Kgosi on allegations that she was harassed by Botsalo Ntuane, executive secretary of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), on RB2’s premises, thus delaying the airing of the national news by seven minutes.
The pre-arranged telephone interview did not take place as Kgosi was not available to comment on the matter. Nonetheless, Gabz FM callers continued to comment on the matter the next day.
Reacting to the announcement, Ntuane instructed his attorney, Isaac Seleko, to have the radio broadcasts stopped immediately, and threatened to otherwise cite the station for defamation. The following day, Seleko wrote a letter to Gabz FM management in which he complained about the broadcast, which he alluded to “have lowered [his] client in the estimation of right thinking men and women” and thus jeopardising his client’s profession.
“The sum of Pula 750,000 [approx. US$122,936] being amande profitable, which we hereby demand within 30 days from the date hereof, failing which we shall institute defamation proceedings without any further reference to you, the ensuing costs whereof shall be for your account,” the lawyer’s letter stated in part.
Another letter followed, demanding Pula 1.7 million in damages, which, the attorney claimed, was caused by comments from callers to Gabz FM the day after the broadcast aired on the radio station.
Background Information
Gabz FM is a private commercial radio station which covers a radius of 70 kilometres. It broadcasts from the Botswana capital, Gaborone, and is co-owned by Tari Investments (Pty) Ltd and Hakona Investments, a South African-based company.
