Author Jackie Phamotse found guilty in Kumalos case

Controversial author Jackie Phamotse was on Tuesday found guilty by the Randburg Magistrate’s Court of defamation, crimen injuria and contempt of court.

In 2018 Phamotse tweeted about an alleged sex tape that social media users concluded involved power couple Romeo and Basetsana Kumalo and a boy celebrity. The couple took legal action against the author.

Sentencing will be handed down on October 24.

Speaking outside the court, Basetsana said it was a victory for those who had been bullied online.

“Somebody decided to wake up and get on a Twitter mountain with their keyboard. This is a victory for every single person. There are many people in this country who’ve taken their lives from being cyber bullied and today this unprecedented judgement is for all of us.”

Relief

Basetsana painted a picture of a traumatised family over the last five years.

“This is for my children, who had to live in shame for the last five years, for my parent’s legacy who raised us well and today I want to thank everybody… I mean this is my guy,” said Kumalo, embracing her lawyer with a hug.

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While making an argument in July, state prosecutor Yusuf Baba said the constitutional rights to dignity and privacy of the former Miss SA were infringed when Phamotse sent out the tweet.

“It’s been horrendous, it’s been horrific, it’s been hurtful it’s been so breaking, it’s been unkind. That somebody will just wake up and attack people she does not even know.”

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