Samukelisiwe Ngwenyama
ZVISHAVANE – The row between MDC-T senator Lilian Timveos and local journalist John Chimunhu has returned to the courts with the senator claiming US$2.5 million in damages after Chimunhu allegedly defied a High Court order compelling him to stop slandering her.
Prosecutor Stanley Ncube alleged that Chimunhu, who resides in Mandava ward 3, was on September 5, 2016, presented with a provisional order from the High Court barring him from publishing unpleasant things against Timveos.
The journalist, who had been provided with a job as a researcher when he was reportedly in dire need of money, later had a fallout with the senator over some issues.
Magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja heard that Timveos owed Chimunhu some money and the two quarreled over the matter and the tension worsened after the senator discovered that Chimunhu was allegedly digging up her confidential information from the laptop they shared.
The journalist had, after discovering the information, went on to question her integrity and the fallout got out of hand leading to the dismissal of Chimunhu.
Out of anger and bitterness, Chimunhu allegedly resorted to parading what he had found to the public and this was when the High Court gave him an order which he allegedly decided to ignore.
He allegedly went on to write even more damaging information on his website called the Now Daily giving the senator all sorts of nasty names and alleging that she was a prostitute who uses a fake identity as Lilian Timveos when she was in fact Lilian Mpofu.
He further allegedly published porn videos which he claimed belonged to Timveos.
“As a legislator, senator, mother to my children and supporters and a wife to my husband, l am appealing to the court to punish John Chinyama for ruining my reputation and now l am walking naked.
“I thought he would comply with the High Court order, apologise and delete what he wrote and we move on but l now want 2.5 million US dollars as a compensation for defamation of character. I owe him money and l will give him but disgracing me is not the best solution,” said Tamveos.
The matter was due for continuation of trial on the July 5.local
