Sata sues Times of Zambia
10 Feb 2010
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Micheal Sata has sued the Times of Zambia for libel. Mr Sata has also applied for an interim injunction to restrain the newspaper and its servants or agents from publishing any defamatory words concerning him.
Mr Sata’s lawyers from Ituna Partners have also filed a certificate of urgency claiming that the matter was of extreme urgency and required expeditious determination as the Times of Zambia had allegedly continued to write, publish and print defamatory articles concerning Mr Sata.
In an affidavit in support of an interim injunction, Mr Sata stated the Times of Zambia published articles concerning him in the editions of February 22, 23, 24 and 25 this year.
He indicated that the articles titled some ‘Sata leads polygamous life’, ‘Forget about presidency’, Sata told, ‘Sata is not credible’- Mumbi, Chimumbwa.
He stated that the articles were allegedly defamatory.
“The words in the said articles in their ordinary and natural meaning meant and were understood to mean that I am not a law abiding citizen, I have a criminal record, I am not a sincere Christian, I do not abide by the rules and teachings of the Catholic Church, and I am a dishonest person with no integrity,” Mr Sata claimed.
Mr Sata said he was a staunch Christian in the Catholic Church which did not allow people leading polygamous or polyandrous lives to receive Holy Eucharist.
That he was a politician and alleged repetition of false imputation of a criminal character would only lower his estimation in the minds of voters.
He stated that unless the defendant was restrained by law of a court order from repeating the publication of defamatory matters, he was likely to suffer irreparable injury as his political ambitions and standing in the Catholic Church could not be atoned for by damages.
Mr Sata was claiming for aggravated or exemplary damages, an injunction restraining the defendant from further writing, printing or circulating or otherwise publishing of the plaintiff the said or any similar libel.
High Court judge handling the matter, Evans Hamaundu has set March 15 as the hearing date.
[Zambian Watchdog]
