The claim has been filed by Harare businesswoman Shingai Ziwange-Jere, wife of Murehwa West legislator and CAPS United owner, Farai Jere.

The legal action stems from a post allegedly made on Mai TT’s official Facebook page, 'Mai Ts Diaries.' In the post, Mai TT is accused of making damaging assertions against Shingai Ziwange-Jere, including claims of threatening her with death and manipulating Zimbabwe's judicial system.

Demands for Immediate Withdrawal and Expression of Regret

According to documents seen by this publication, Shingai Ziwange-Jere, through her legal representatives Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal practitioners, served Mai TT with a letter of demand on Friday evening.

Businesswoman Slaps Mai TT with US$100K Defamation Lawsuit

The letter demanded a full, unconditional, and unreserved withdrawal of the alleged defamatory statement, associated pictures, and related implications within twelve hours of receipt.

Shingai Ziwange-Jere's lawyers firmly stated that "There was no iota of truth whatsoever in the statements you made, which were obviously intended to solely sully and tarnish our client’s reputation and esteem."

Allegations Dismissed as 'Fabricated' and 'Malicious'

The businesswoman's legal team contends that Mai TT's statements were not only malicious but also driven by a desire for increased social media engagement, including followers, clout, views, and likes.

The letter described the allegations as "fabricated" and resembling "a script from a fictional neo-noir African movie," arguing they were "carved out of fanciful imagination."

The lawyers highlighted the negative impact of the post, noting that Mai TT's followers subjected their client to numerous insults and obscenities in the comments section.

They further suggested that Mai TT was "sadfishing" and using their client to engage in a "proxy war with your erstwhile enemies," vowing that their client would not tolerate the actions.

Specific Defamatory Meanings Alleged

The lawsuit contends that Mai TT's statements were defamatory and would be understood by a reasonable reader to imply several damaging meanings about Shingai Ziwange-Jere, including:

• That she is a maliciously dangerous individual who hires criminals for assault and torture.
• That she is a "criminal ‘queenpin’" involved in unlawful surveillance and consistently issuing death threats.
• That she manipulates Zimbabwe's justice system, influencing case outcomes, including one allegedly lost by Mai TT against another socialite, despite having no connection to the judiciary.

Impact on Reputation and Business Ties

Shingai Ziwange-Jere's lawyers emphasized that their client maintains "very strong national and robust international business ties, links and partnerships." They argue that Mai TT's accusations, which have gained global reach through social media, have severely damaged their client's reputation, which is a major asset.

"The publication of the statements you made about our client are malicious, harmful and injurious and they remain in the public domain through pictorial evidence of the same, despite your belated attempt to delete some of the posts and comments from your social media handles," the letter stated.

It added that the "digital footprint you left continues to affect our client." The lawyers refuted any connection their client has to allegations of torture or surveillance mentioned by Mai TT.

The lawsuit claims that the businesswoman is now "on the verge of losing many lucrative contracts" as a result of the published statements, which have cast her "in a very bad light," posing a real risk of quantifiable financial losses.

The matter is expected to proceed through the court system following the demands made by the plaintiff's legal team.