‘Mashile and ICASA must apologize’
In a letter to the Sunday Times from Ruth Edmonds Attorneys, the firm representing the previous ICASA CEO Jackie Manche, disputes various statements made by Mashile and said that it amounts to defamation and breach of an agreement between Manche and ICASA.
In a Business Times article Mashile is quoted as saying, “Her [Manche] lawyer kept playing for time by frequently being unavailable and there was nothing anyone could do about it without finding themselves on the wrong side of the labour law”
Ruth Edmonds Attorneys responded in a Business Times letter : “…the allegation [by Mashile] that [the lawyer of] our client, Jackie Manche [the former chief executive of Icasa], “kept playing for time” by “frequently being unavailable” is incorrect and defamatory.”
“The matter [of the internal investigation into allegations of misconduct by Manche] was delayed because Icasa was frequently unprepared to proceed on agreed dates. Our client took issue with this and the expense to which she was put and her continued suspension in the face of these delays, as a consequence thereof,” it continued.
In the Business Times article Mashile is further quoted as saying that: “There will be no further investigation by Icasa, although the matter has been handed to the police.”
This is again disputed by Ruth Edmonds Attorneys, saying that “no matter concerning our client has been handed to the police.”
The letter concludes by saying that, “Icasa and Mashile have, by virtue of Mashile’s statements, defamed our client and they have been placed on terms to publicly withdraw the defamatory comments and to apologise to our client, failing which, action for damages will be instituted against them.”