Inkosana Daniel Chigoga Jere has written SOSOSO Coaches demanding damages for false accusation, defamation and manhandling.
Through his lawyers Mbulo Attorney’s At-Law, Inkosana Jere is demanding k10 million from the company after its employees manhandled him by forcing and pushing him out of their coach, after he was accused of using a duplicate ticket when he was travelling to Mzuzu from Blantyre with his wife and two grandchildren.
“It is our Client’s story that on 26″ August 2023 be booked coach to travel from Blantyre to Mzuzu on the 28 August 2023 and he booked for four persons, him and his wife and two grandchildren both minors. On the 28 August at 06:30 our Client was at your terminals in Blantyre Petroda clocktower filing station for ticket and language check-in.
“Our Client avers that he presented the four tickets for himself and his family as follows, ticket number 221619 for himself seat no. 40, ticket number 221620 for his wife seat no. 41, ticket number 221621 for the grandchild a minor seat no. 43 and ticket number 221622 for the grandchild a minor seat no. 44.
“At around 07:30am they started off to Mzuzu everything was perfect and along the way the ticket inspector checked all passenger’s ticket as a routine check-up and the same was perfect as well with our client. However, upon reaching Lilongwe Nico Centre terminals our Client was ordered not to board the bus anymore because their journey ends in Lilongwe and their seats have been given to Lilongwe Mzuzu customers
“It is our Client story that he tried to reason with them that he booked the bus on the 26″ August 2023 from Blantyre to Mzunzu and the date of travel was on 28 August 2023, and was surprised to hear that his journey to Mzuzu ends in Lilongwe and that he was told his tickets were duplicated,” reads part of the demand letter dated September 1, 2023 and signed by Sipho Lungile Jere.
After refusing to drop out from the coach, the statement said the company’s staff, bus marshal, agent and employees started manhandling Inkosana Jere by forcing and pushing him out of the bus.
“This was so embarrassing and traumatized to our Client and actually he is still in state of shock until today since this kind of thing has never happened to him since his lifetime. he was embarrassed from his family and onlookers since this has also tarnish his image as he is a respected member of the society and being a chief to his village as Inkosana Daniel Chigoga Jere.
“However, our Client and other passengers on board suggested that your Lilongwe staff should contact the Blantyre staff to confirm since the tickets were issued from Blantyre and the Blantyre confirmed that the tickets for our Client were just fine and perfect.
“Our Client doesn’t issue tickets and he tried to reason with your staff to phone Blantyre office to confirm the same but they couldn’t listen rather they started calling him names such as thief and alike and they tried to push and manhandle him and that made our Client to be a victim of circumstances.
“Our Client is therefore seeking a relief and demand the sum of MK 3.000.000.00 as damages for assault, the sum of MK 3,000,000.00 as damages for embarrassment and trauma the sum of MK 3,000,000.00 as damages for false Allegation / Accusation and Defamation and MK 1,000,000.00 the cost of this action.
“The said amount should be paid within 14 days from the date of receipt of this letter hereof. Failing which, we have been instructed to proceed to commence legal proceedings against you, your company and or your agent or servant,” reads part of the letter
When contacted, SOSOSO Coaches Manager Gift Chibambo expressed ignorance on the matter.
“We have not seen the letter. We don’t know anything about what you are asking, until we see the letter, we can’t be able to comment,” he said
