Grace Mugabe fights diamond dealer lawsuit

Former first lady Grace Mugabe has filed notice that she will fight a US$3.9m lawsuit in which she is being sued along with her son Russell Goreraza and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

Diamond dealer Jamal Hamed and six of his companies filed summons against Mugabe, Goreraza, ZRP commissioner-general Godwin Matanga and two police officers, Kennedy Fero and Nyambo Viera, in June. The total claim is $3.9m.

The lawsuit comes after Mugabe forcibly took Hamed's properties in Harare when he reportedly failed to refund $1.4m advanced to him for a diamond ring.

In 2016 justice Clement Phiri of the high court in Harare ordered Mugabe, Goreraza and Fero to hand back the properties.

According to the court summons, Hamed wants Mugabe, Goreraza, Matanga, Fero and Viera to pay him $2m for defamation arising from wrongful and defamatory statements filed in the high court between October 2016 and December 2017.

They stated in some affidavits that Hamed was a dangerous international criminal with wide-ranging criminal activities in Zimbabwe and was sought by Interpol in terms of a warrant of arrest. He said these statements were widely published in print and online media in Zimbabwe and internationally.

Hamed said the statements by Fero and Viera were false and depicted him as a criminal and a dishonest person who does not adhere to proper business ethics.

Hamed and one of his companies, Diamond Village, are also suing Mugabe for $1m for loss of income caused by injurious falsehoods made against them by the defendants.

Hamed's companies are also demanding various other amounts relating to damages linked to unlawful occupation of the properties, bringing the total to $3.9m.

Mugabe has engaged Harare-based lawyers Hussein Ranchhod & Co to represent her. They notified Hamed and his lawyers this week they will meet in court once the matter is set down for hearing.