Fadzayi Mahere Beats Record with $100,000 Defamation Win in Malaba’s Courts — Sparks Accusations of Judicial Favouritism
Harare – 10 July 2025
By A Correspondent | ZimEye | In a development raising fresh controversy in Zimbabwe’s legal and political circles, former opposition legislator and prominent lawyer Fadzayi Mahere has been awarded a staggering US$100,000 in damages by the High Court in a defamation case against journalist Edmund Kudzayi — marking the highest ever compensation awarded to an opposition figure under the judiciary led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Joel Mambara, is a default ruling after Kudzayi failed to appear in court. The case stemmed from a July 2022 article published by Kudzayi’s platform, Kukurigo, alleging Mahere had an affair with businessman Tinashe Murapata that resulted in the collapse of his marriage. Mahere vigorously denied the claims, calling them defamatory, baseless, and a violation of her right to privacy and professional dignity.
Controversial Victory Amid “Corrupt Court” Allegations
This ruling comes less than a year after Mahere was awarded US$17,000 in another high-profile defamation case against presidential advisor Petina Gappah — a case that already raised eyebrows. That award shattered the previous opposition defamation compensation record, which stood at just US$5,000. Her latest win has ignited debate over whether the former CCC spokesperson enjoys judicial privileges that no other opposition figure has been able to access — especially as leaders like Nelson Chamisa and whistleblowers like Blessed Geza continue to suffer apparent judicial marginalisation.
Investigative journalist and Gold Mafia founding researcher, Simba Chikanza, who testified for Gappah in the previous case, reacted strongly. He accused Mahere of “judicial corruption”, claiming she used extra-legal influence to “remove key evidence from court bundles,” including his own affidavit. Today, following her fresh victory, Chikanza reiterated his claims, stating Mahere would never have won the case “if it had been heard outside Zimbabwe.”
The Case: Default Ruling and Massive Compensation
According to the ruling, Mahere is to receive:
• US$100,000 in damages
• 5% annual interest from the date of summons service
• Full legal costs
The court noted that the story in Kukurigo was widely disseminated and potentially reputationally damaging, particularly given Mahere’s public standing as an international speaker, legal practitioner, and political figure. The judgment came despite Kudzayi’s initial legal filings, where he fiercely defended the article as grounded in truth and written in the public interest.
Kudzayi argued that:
• The story was supported by verifiable facts
• Mahere was invited to respond
• The public had a right to know
He insisted Mahere must meet the “strictest burden of proof,” denying any malice or journalistic misconduct.
Opposition or Beneficiary? Questions Mount
Mahere’s judicial victories have triggered sharp political criticism, particularly from figures in Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption and activist community. Critics say the rulings expose a troubling contradiction: how can an opposition figure win massive payouts from a judiciary perceived as captured by ZANU PF?
“Many are totally clueless,” tweeted Simba Chikanza. “Due to her corruption, Fadzayi Mahere will never represent Chamisa. Her record of loose morals is sealed.”
In another viral post, Chikanza wrote: “I have evidence Mahere is more corrupt than [ZANU PF minister] Machakaire could ever be.”
On Facebook, he continued: “The only iron ladies Zim has are the likes of Margaret Dongo and Karen Kazingizi, not anaFadzayi Mahure who’re getting rich winning fake defamation cases in Malaba’s corrupt courts.”
What Next for Mahere?
The defamation win cements Mahere’s place in legal history — not for her political contributions, but for her court victories. With more than US$117,000 now awarded in less than 12 months, scrutiny over her relationship with Zimbabwe’s judicial institutions is intensifying.
Mahere has yet to publicly address the corruption accusations, but political observers say she must now explain how she manages to achieve judicial success in a system that routinely rules against her allies.
As the silence grows louder, many wonder: is Mahere still an opposition figure — or something else entirely?
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Developing story.