Businessman Ben Hauwanga has embarked on legal action in which he is claiming N$500 000 from an Ongwediva resident for allegedly damaging his reputation.
Hauwanga is alleging that an Ongwediva resident, Potgieter Vilho, made false statements about him in audio recordings that were circulated on social media last year.
The statements made by Vilho were false and defamatory and depicted him as being a dishonest businessman, a land grabber, stupid, dishonest, a beneficiary of corruption and not worthy of being associated with a political campaign of president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Hauwanga is alleging in a defamation claim filed at the Windhoek High Court.
Hauwanga is also claiming that Vilho alleged he owed money to Vilho, and alleged Hauwanga used the money he owed to Vilho in 2022 in a political campaign of Nandi-Ndaitwah against then prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifta.
Vilho’s “defamatory statements, innuendos, insinuations and suggestions were widely published and circulated on WhatsApp” by Vilho, Hauwanga is claiming.
He also claims that Vilho’s alleged comments injured his dignity “and were circulated and published with the sole intention to achieve maximum damage and harm to the reputation and dignity of the plaintiff [Hauwanga]”.
Hauwanga is asking the court to order Vilho to pay N$500 000 to him because of the comments he had made, and also to declare that Vilho’s remarks were false and defamatory.
In addition to that, Hauwanga wants the court to direct Vilho to unconditionally retract his remarks and unreservedly apologise to him.
Vilho has notified the court that he intends to oppose Hauwanga’s legal action.
The case was postponed to 25 June on Tuesday.
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