Advocate Fadzai Mahere has sued Petinna Gappah for $1 million for alleged defamation of character. Mahere in her declaration at the Hi...
Advocate Fadzai Mahere has sued Petinna Gappah for $1
million for alleged defamation of character.
Mahere in her declaration at the High Court said Gappah in
a series of tweets accused her of corruptly enrolling at the University of
Zimbabwe and the Cambridge University and also attempting to seduce Gappah’s
boyfriend at some point.
“In a series of tweets on Twitter on the night of Saturday
September 29, 2018, defendant (Gappah) published a series of tweets about
plaintiff (Mahere) to the effect that plaintiff did not qualify to be admitted
into the University of Zimbabwe for her Law degree.
“Plaintiff was admitted into the University of Zimbabwe
only because her father was a permanent secretary in the government and he used
his influence to get her admitted because she was not qualified to be admitted
on her credentials.”
“The allegations were false and highly defamatory. These
false allegations were seen not only by the defendant’s followers on Twitter,
but were also retweeted several times and carried on various electronic, social
media platforms and online newspapers as the defendant must have known would
happen,” she said.
“They have damaged plaintiff’s standing as a lawyer, law
lecturer and practicing advocate and caused irreparable harm to her political
career and her influence as a civil society activist,” Mahere said.
She said Gappah refused to retract the allegations and
apologise despite demand. Gappah is yet to respond.
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