Reality star claims half a million for Facebook defamation
VUZU TV reality star Nape Phasha sues for half a million for defamation of character, after he was accused on social media of killing a motorcyclist.
Rich kidz reality star accused to have been involved in a hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a motorcyclist is claiming damages of R500 000 against a man who claims to have witnessed the crash.
This man has published a series of Facebook posts about what he says he saw.
Nape Phasha made headlines in August after a Mercedes G-class, registered in Phasha’s mother’s name was involved in the accident in Garsfontein Road.
The motorcyclist died on the scene. The man claiming to be the witness, Kobie Delport, took to Facebook shortly afterwards and published a photo of a licence place, asking for help to trace the owner of the vehicle.
“This young f*** just killed a biker right in front of me and had the audacity to leave his vehicle and flee the scene before the cops got there,” Delport wrote.
In a second post he said while waiting for the cops “The f**** in the Mercedes left his vehicle and was picked up by another Merc that sped away”.
In another comment on Facebook after the crash, Delport said he had no doubt that the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident was Phasha.
He claimed to have the telephone numbers of four other eyewitnesses who he said could attest to the fact that the vehicle skipped a red light and turned in front of oncoming traffic. Delport was seemingly upset by the alleged response by the driver
“Also when I confronted the driver of the car that… [he] did not even get out of his car after the accident to check on the condition of the rider all he could utter was ‘sorry’. I advised him that he had just killed a person and he did not look phased at all.”
Delport’s posts are believed to have been reposted and retweeted most notably by the Twitter user known as @PigSpotter, who has hundreds of thousands followers.
In court papers, Phasha has denied being involved in the accident, neither as driver nor as passenger. He asserts that he was not even on the scene when the accident happened.
Phasa’s lawyer Michael Motsoeneng Bill, told Rekord on Wednesday that his client only arrived on the scene some 35 minutes after the accident.
Phasa claims in court papers that Delport’s allegations are defamatory, saying he has received several life threats and threats of assault as a result.
Motsoeneng confirmed that Phasha had appointed a bodyguard.
Phasha believes his reputation has been damaged. Apart from the R500 000 claim, he demands a public apology from Delport and a complete retraction of his accusations to be published in a major newspaper.
Also read:
Reality star denies allegations
Reality show star allegedly involved in hit and run
Motorcyclist dies in an accident
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