Speaker Richard Msowoya sues MBC for defamation

Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya has dragged to court the state controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) over a story aired on April 15 2016.

In the story, MBC said Msowoya used his personal Assistant Patrick Kayira to steal a laptop in the Ministry of Information with an aim of spying on the government.

According to Msowoya’s lawyer, the article “ordinarily meant and was understood to mean that Msowoya is a crook, untrustworthy, dishonest, corrupt, a thief, a pervert and a criminal”.

He also argued that the publishing of the statements was actuated by malice or ill-will and was an unjustified attack on Msowoya’s reputation.

While admitting that the said news item was on MBC Television, Radio 1 and Radio 2 and published on MBC website, MBC in its defence, denies that “the alleged words meant or were understood to mean that Msowoya is a crook, untrustworthy, dishonest, corrupt a thief, a pervert and a criminal”.

Meanwhile the case is on for mediation today.