Agriculture Minister sues Norton over smuggled chicken claims

Jan 23, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha

Kaieteur News – Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has filed a $5M libel suit against Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton after the latter had accused him of allegedly being involved in the smuggling of chicken.

In the defamation suit, Mustapha is claiming in excess of $5 million worth of damages.

In the court document seen by Kaieteur News, Mustapha said the amount could be more if the High Court yields to his request for exemplary and/or aggravated damages to be awarded. The Minister inter alia wants the High Court to order Norton, in his official and personal capacity, to immediately remove and/or cause to be removed all social media posts which contain the false and defamatory words or similar words which convey either expressly or infer the same meaning, from his Facebook page and/ or A Partnership for National Unity (APNUAFC) Facebook page.

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Additionally, the High Court is also being asked to issue an order directing the Opposition Leader to retract and apologise to the claimant for making false and defamatory statements about Mustapha in words and terms to be approved by the Court. In his Statement of Claim, Mustapha detailed that in a December 2, 2023 post as a “press statement” Norton caused damage to his reputation as well as “considerable” distress and embarrassment.

The document noted that the post titled “Breaking News; Minister of Agriculture and other officials in the ministry accused of major corruption” was published on the APNU/AFC Opposition Facebook page.

“The words in their natural and ordinary meaning meant and were understood to mean that the claimant (Mustapha) and others were directly involved major corruption, to with the smuggling of truckloads of chicken into Guyana from Suriname,” Mustapha lawyers noted in the statement of claim.

“Further, it is understood to mean the claimant and others have directed police officers to ignore the illegal smuggling and to allow the truckloads of chicken into Guyana despite same being illegal. It is understood to also mean the Guyana Police Force has an investigation ongoing into the said truckloads of chicken coming into Guyana illegally and that investigation in being improperly interfered with and/ or interrupted under the direction of the claimant,” the statement further noted.

The Minister explained that he is a distinguished public figure who has enjoyed local and international claim worldwide. He noted that in addition to his reputation, he was appointed to the post of minister of Agriculture by a duly elected Government of Guyana. As a result, he believes the word can have far reaching and damaging effects. Mustapha further stated that the defendant made more than one post on a single issue intended to speak to the same issue in a manner and tone defamatory of him. He noted too that the Facebook page of APNUAFC gas in excess of 134,000 followers and therefore the impact and damage of his character is grave.