The probation officer in the legal battle between South Africa’s leading couple, Romeo and Basetsana Kumalo, has recommended that controversial author Jackie Phamotse give a public apology to them.
The two parties have been embroiled in a legal dispute over remarks made by Phamotse on social media in 2018.
Last year, following a six-year legal tussle, Phamotse was found guilty of defaming the two media moguls over a tweet claiming Romeo had a sex encounter with another man.
She indicated that the news of this encounter was revealed to her after she allegedly overheard a conversation between Romeo and one of her friends about a video depicting Romeo engaging in sexual activities with another man.
Basetsana testified in court that the tweet made her feel raw, attacked, violated, and insulted. She approached the harassment court and was granted a protection order against Phamotse, but that didn’t stop Phamotse.
On September 21 last year, the Randburg Magistrate’s Court convicted Phamotse of criminal defamation, crimen injuria, and contempt of court over the comments, which alluded to a sex tape involving Basetsana and Romeo Kumalo.
On Tuesday, the defence called a probation officer to the stand. EWN reports that the probation officer, who compiled a report on what she believed would be an appropriate sanction for Phamotse, requested the author to issue a public apology and be fined for her “defamatory” utterances.
The probation officer reflected on the author’s refusal to acknowledge her role in the matter after she previously distanced herself from the charges – having previously published a book, “I Tweet What I Like: So ... Sue Me!”
Earlier this month, Phamotse appeared in the same court where her legal team asked for another delay.
In September, the National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the judgment that found the author guilty of defamation and crimen injuria after the five-year legal tussle between the author and Basetsana.
Basetsana reacted with relief following the judgment by magistrate S Naidoo, who found the author guilty of crimen injuria, criminal defamation and contempt of court.
The matter was postponed to March 5 after Phamotse’s lawyer, Mpho Mathonsi, argued in favour of a postponement due to a report by a social worker that needed to be concluded before sentencing takes place.
The Star