Publication: Cape Times Issued: Date: 2008-04-07 Reporter: Natasha Joseph Reporter:

Manuel in Bid to Gag Arms Deal Activist Permanently

 

Publication 

Cape Times
Date

2008-04-07
Reporter Natasha Joseph

Web Link

 www.capetimes.co.za

 

Arms deal activist and author Terry Crawford-Browne was served with a summons by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel in a bid for a permanent interdict to prevent him from commenting on what he calls the "pivotal" role he believes Manuel played in the controversial deal.

Crawford-Browne has 10 days to respond.

In court papers, Manuel says Crawford-Browne's allegations against him are motivated by "malice".

On March 6, Justice Andre le Grange granted Manuel a temporary order restraining Crawford-Browne from publishing allegations that the minister was corrupt or had been involved in any criminal conduct in connection with the arms deal.

Crawford-Browne was ordered to remove such allegations from his website. In response to the order, Crawford-Browne wrote on his website that he would "unload the evidence into the court records where the evidence can speak for itself".

The day before Manuel's latest summons was served, Crawford-Browne said he had complied with the court order after Manuel's initial interdict was granted.

The order did not affect Crawford-Browne's book, Eye on the Money, about his long-running campaign to overturn the arms deal.

Manuel was ordered to apply for a permanent interdict within 20 days.

In the summons, Manuel's attorneys said Crawford-Browne had published remarks about Manuel which were "defamatory" and "wrongfully and unlawfully made".

"As a result of the publication of the offending statements, (Manuel) has been damaged in his reputation, as an individual and in the performance of his public duties as the Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa," it said in the summons.

Manuel's attorneys said comments posted on Crawford-Browne's "frequently visited" and "widely read" website implied to "a reasonable reader" that the Finance Minister was guilty of corruption, fraud, money laundering, racketeering, tax evasion and obstruction of justice *1.

The Finance Minister's attorneys said that without a final interdict, Crawford-Browne would continue to "make the offending statements and/or statements of a similar or worse effect".

Manuel is seeking "relief" through a final interdict that would restrain Crawford-Browne from "publishing any matter in which it is alleged that the plaintiff is corrupt or has committed the crime of corruption or any other criminal conduct in connection with the arms deal".

Manuel also wants Crawford-Browne to pay all costs.

With acknowledgement to Natasha Joseph and Cape Times.


*1      While Trevor Manuel may not be guilty of some or any of these heinous deeds, his cabinet colleagues certainly are so.

I would add that Trevor Manual is certainly involved in obstructing the ends of justice by his full involvement in altering the findings of the Joint Investigation into the Arms Deal.

Let him take me on in this respect.