AMOS WITHDRAWS CHARGE…PRIME, CROWN TV APOLOGISE FOR DEFAMING AMOS
Former press aide Amos Chanda has withdrawn his intention to sue Prime and Crown television stations after the duo apologised to him for broadcasting defaming remarks.
In his demand letter, Mr Chanda wanted K5 million from each of the two stations for falsely accusing him of grabbing burial land from villagers in Njolwe.
“Prime TV wishes to unreservedly apologise to Mr Amos Chanda, a Lusaka businessman and former State House press aide, for broadcasting a totally false and malicious story that he illegally acquired land and confiscated a graveyard in Njolwe area of Chongwe,” a statement from the station read.
The alleged defamatory news item on Prime was aired on October 31, 2021 quoting a Ms Choolwe Shisholeka and three others who alleged that Mr Chanda illegally acquired land in Njolwe.
“The claims in the said article were totally fabricated, false and without any basis whatsoever.
Prime TV has since learnt that there is not a single grave on Mr Chanda’s farm, which he legally acquired through established procedures,” the statement further reads.
And Crown TV wrote: “Highly defamatory allegations have been brought to the attention of Crown TVmanagement concerning a news story we aired on 31 October, 2021 quoting Ms Choolwe Shisholeka, who alleged falsely that Mr Amos Chanda illegally acquired land in Njolwe area of Chongwe district and that he was [a] cruel man who has confiscated a graveyard, claims which are totally fabricated as there is not a single grave on his farm, which [he] legally acquired through established procedures.
”The station regrets contents of the news story which contained highly defamatory words as complained by Mr Chanda.In an interview yesterday, Mr Chanda said:”
In the interest of who I have been, my primary goal was to defend the truth, so the two television stations not only retracted the story, but apologised and put it in writing to my lawyers”.“I will not be proceeding with litigation.
It had become a pattern to lie for political expediency.”Mr Chanda advised the media and other sectors not to be used as lynch-mobs against innocent person