Published: Apr 28, 2018, 03:56 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 28, 2018, 03:56 PM (IST)
Former Zimbabwe captain and coach, Heath Streak has filed an defamation case against Zimbabwe Cricket Board chairperson, Tavenga Mukuhlani. In his case, Streak has objected to Mukuhlani’s alleged racial comments, and demanded USD One Million as compensation money. According to cricbuzz, Streak’s lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa said: “The defendant knew fully well or ought to have known at the time he uttered the words that his words were baseless. His words were malicious and deliberately intended to tarnish the plaintiff’s reputation.”
His full statement read: “Further, the defendant deliberately and maliciously failed to verify the accuracy and truthfulness of his wrongful and malicious utterances before dishing such words to journalists for the attention of the general public.
“. . . . as a result the defendant’s defamatory utterances and resultant publication thereof, the plaintiff’s standing as a professional cricketer and a patriot has been diminished and soiled and soiled locally, regionally and internationally. His chances of getting employed elsewhere as a coach have been thwarted.
“By reason of the defamatory words, the plaintiff has suffered damage to his name and reputation and in all has suffered damages in the combined amount of USD 10,00,000.”
Heath was sacked after Zimbabwe failed to secure a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Mukuhlani speaking to Daily News, said: “Streak was the coach and selector, he was entitled to change the team as he found fit but the question is: why did he change the team in the manner that he did?
“The white players knew PJ Moor was going to play [against UAE] but none of the black players knew about it. Zhuwao was only informed [that he wouldn’t play] in the warm-up. Why didn’t Streak inform the entire team?”
