Iuze Mukube
A Windhoek resident facing 74 charges of allegedly sexually abusing underage boys and producing pornographic material, which he allegedly sold to online international buyers, is suing local media entity, Network Media Hub (NMH), for defamation.
In his application, Johann Wickus Maree seeks payment of N$300 000, jointly and severally, from NMH, its daily newspaper, Namibian Sun, and three others.
The suit stems from an article published on the front page of the Namibian Sun on 26 March 2024, which allegedly made statements such as ‘Paedophile’ earned N$77 000 from child porn’.
According to Maree, the article contained his photo with a caption underneath reading ‘Laundry List of Charges: Alleged paedophile Johann Maree.’
Maree contends that without concrete proof, the article makes statements that say: “With time, the accused developed relations with several families and their children at these sporting events, many of whom he later took advantage of.”
Additionally, “he went as far as instructing the victims to perform these acts [oral and penetrative sex] to each other.
The article allegedly further reads, “Maree threatened his victims to keep them from reporting his wrongdoing.”
Furthermore, he contends that the defendants refer to the words “his victims” when no court has ruled that the alleged victims in the criminal matter are indeed his victims.
He argues that the application of such statements was malicious and intended to wrongfully defame him.
In addition, the publication allegedly conveys a message to be understood by people that it is a proven fact that he is a person who is sexually attracted to children, earned N$77 000 from child pornography on the dark web and that he threatened alleged victims in his pending criminal matter to keep them from reporting his wrongdoing.
He further argues that the published article conveys a message that he took advantage of families and their children whom he met at sporting events and that he is a child rapist criminal who is not a law-abiding citizen, even though his criminal trial is still before the court.
Additionally, the article conveys a message that he has no right to be presumed innocent until he is convicted by a court of law, that he is a convicted criminal who cannot be trusted by members of the public, and that he is without integrity, dignity, or intrinsic worth as a human being.
According to him, the publication of such statements was made with the intention to publicly ridicule him and to recklessly disregard or undermine his right to presumption of innocence, and therefore it was wrong and defamatory towards him.
It is also his stance that the article wrongfully injured him by lowering his standing in the estimation of people, cutting him off from society, or exposing him to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.
He contends that the defendants knew the statements were not true as he is a trial awaiting accused person.
“The statements made by the defendants are false and served no public interest, and no public benefit was derived from them. Therefore, they are liable to damages in the sum of N$300 000,” said Maree in his suit.
Maree is charged with eight counts of rape, eight counts of indecent assault, eight charges of committing an immoral act with a child under 16, eight counts of trafficking in persons by recruiting minor boys for sexual exploitation, and eight charges of using children to produce child pornography.
He has denied all charges.
–mukubeiuze@gmail.com