BOTSWANA: Radio station, presenter sued

> IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> ALERT - BOTSWANA
>
> 8 July 2002
>
> Radio station, presenter sued
>
> SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek
>
> (MISA/IFEX) - Popular Gabz FM radio presenter and MISA-Botswana
Chairperson
> Solomon Monyame and Gabz FM management have been jointly sued for the sum
of
> Botswana Pula 1.7 million (approx. US$279,330) in damages over
announcements
> broadcast on the station's breakfast show on 6 June 2002.
>
> On 6 June, Monyame announced between 6:45 and 6:55 a.m. (local time) that
he
> would interview Radio Botswana 2 (RB2) announcer Gloria Kgosi on
allegations
> that she was harassed by Botsalo Ntuane, executive secretary of the ruling
> Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), on RB2's premises, thus delaying the
airing
> of the national news by seven minutes.
>
> The pre-arranged telephone interview did not take place as Kgosi was not
> available to comment on the matter. Nonetheless, Gabz FM callers continued
> to comment on the matter the next day.
>
> Reacting to the announcement, Ntuane instructed his attorney, Isaac
Seleko,
> to have the radio broadcasts stopped immediately, and threatened to
> otherwise cite the station for defamation. The following day, Seleko wrote
a
> letter to Gabz FM management in which he complained about the broadcast,
> which he alluded to "have lowered [his] client in the estimation of right
> thinking men and women" and thus jeopardising his client's profession.
>
> "The sum of Pula 750,000 [approx. US$122,936] being amande profitable,
which
> we hereby demand within 30 days from the date hereof, failing which we
shall
> institute defamation proceedings without any further reference to you, the
> ensuing costs whereof shall be for your account," the lawyer's letter
stated
> in part.
>
> Another letter followed, demanding Pula 1.7 million in damages, which, the
> attorney claimed, was caused by comments from callers to Gabz FM the day
> after the broadcast aired on the radio station.
>
> BACKGROUND:
> Gabz FM is a private commercial radio station which covers a radius of 70
> kilometres. It broadcasts from the Botswana capital, Gaborone, and is
> co-owned by Tari Investments (Pty) Ltd and Hakona Investments, a South
> African-based company.
>
> For further information, contact Zoe Titus or Kaitira Kandjii, Regional
> Information Coordinator, MISA, Street Address: 21 Johann Albrecht Street,
> Mailing Address; Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia, tel: +264 61 232975,
> fax: +264 61 248016, e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected],
> Internet: http://www.misa.org/
>
> The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of
MISA.
> In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit MISA.
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