ZANU-PF activist found guilty of contempt of court in South Africa – Zimbabwe Post

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – ZANU PF activist Benson Rutendo Matinyarare has been found guilty of contempt of court by a Johannesburg court and sentenced to three months in prison.

However, the sentence will be suspended in full if he does not make defamatory statements against Innscor Africa and its majority shareholder Zinona Koudounaris.

Gauteng High Court judge Gcina Malindi ruled that Matinyarare, 46, was in contempt of court because he persisted in attacking Innscor and its founder on social media.

The dispute centres on comments Matinyarare made on social media last year in which he accused Innscor of selling genetically modified food in Zimbabwe and referred to Koudounaris, who is of Greek descent and did not come to Zimbabwe until the mid-1980s, as a “Rhodie” – a derogatory term for white Rhodesians.

On January 9, 2024, Judge Thina Siwendu ordered Matinyarare to remove the defamatory posts from Facebook and X and to stop making unfounded allegations against Innscor and Koudounaris. Despite this, Matinyarare continued to post defamatory content between February 28 and March 5, 2024.

In response, Judge Brad Wanless made a second order on March 20 requiring Matinyarare to remove all defamatory posts and to cease making further offensive statements. Matinyarare also ignored that order.

Judge Malindi ruled that Martinyalare had flouted two previous orders and therefore imposed a suspended sentence. “Martinyalare was sentenced to three months imprisonment but the sentence was suspended on the condition that he does not directly or indirectly disseminate false and defamatory allegations about Innscor Africa and Koudounaris or in any other way violate the orders of Judges Siwendu and Wanless,” Judge Malindi said.

In addition, Matinyarare was ordered to bear the legal fees of Innscor and Koudounaris “on an attorney-client basis,” including the fees of two attorneys at Class C (the highest rate).

Relatedly, a separate criminal case has been filed against Martinyalare by his former lawyer, Simba Chitando. Chitando has accused Martinyalare of lying to the High Court by claiming he was unaware of the verdict against him and is seeking his arrest and charges of perjury. Chitando has also revealed that Martinyalare’s new legal representation is being funded by controversial tycoon Simon Rudland, allegedly because of Rudland’s opposition to the influence of the Kudunaris on the Zimbabwean economy.

The case highlights ongoing tensions and legal disputes in Zimbabwe’s business and political sectors, with significant implications for social media behavior and corporate reputation.

Source: Zimlive

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