BLACK Swan Media trading as Crown Television has told the Lusaka High Court that Chawama PF member of parliament Tasila Lungu is not entitled to any claims as the institution retracted its statement against her and tendered an apology.

This is a matter in which Lungu has dragged Crown Television and three others to court for alleging that she was being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission over the purchase of a bank and its assets.

Lungu has cited Black Swan Media Limited, trading as Crown TV Zambia; Jeff Mbewe and Mwamba Chikonka trading as The Candidate; Davies Shachinda trading as Southern Classic Media Limited; and Mwewa Chitambala trading as Simon Mwewa Lane TV as respondents.

Lungu is claiming damages for libel against all the defendants and exemplary damages against the first and second defendants.

She also wants a retraction and apology by the first and second respondents for the posts attributable to them using the same media platforms used to smear her reputation, costs and any other relief the court may deem fit.

In its defence, Crown TV admitted that the Anti-Corruption Commission issued a statement on September 13, this year and did not mention any names of the suspected individuals at the said media briefing.

Crown TV also admitted publishing the words being challenged but denied having full knowledge that the information was false or unverified.

The TV station further denied that its Facebook page has a huge following.

They stated that they retracted their statement and tendered an unreserved apology and these were aired on its 12:00 hours,19:30 hours and 21:00 hours news on September 22, as well as on its Facebook page.

Crown TV denied that the said words had any meaning that was defamatory of Lungu.

They further denied publishing words of alleged malevolence but merely stated that Lungu was under investigations, as intimated to them by their sources.

“The first defendant (Crown TV) did not intend to disparage the reputation of the plaintiff and cause her reputation any injury in the estimation of right thinking members of society,” read the defence.

They further stated that Lungu was not entitled to any damages whether exemplary or otherwise.