News
Jada Loutoo
PUBLIC Utilities Minister Colm Imbert has made good on his threat to file defamation claims against a local TikToker for allegedly making defamatory statements about him on social media platforms – Facebook and TikTok.
Imbert’s attorneys filed the claim in the Port of Spain High Court registry on April 17.
Robert Matthew Gibbs was named as the defendant in the lawsuit that contends the posts and videos, published in February, referred to the minister in defamatory terms and implied he was involved in dishonest and corrupt dealings among other serious allegations.
The videos were allegedly published on Gibb’s TikTok account, “The Anarchist” and the Facebook account in the name, “Matt Gibbs.”
Imbert’s lawyers also contend the defamatory statements led to commentators making further damning statements about the minister on the social media platforms. The lawsuit maintained that the defendant had control over his platforms but failed to remove these comments, thus endorsing them.
“The claimant has suffered much shame, distress, anxiety and embarrassment due to the defendant’s malicious publications.” The lawsuit said the publications were sensational and reckless as no attempt was made to contact the minister before making the allegations.
“The defendant knew or ought to have known that the allegations insinuated in the article/statement were untrue. The defendant falsely and maliciously published or caused to be published the defamatory posts concerning the claimants.”
The lawsuit said Gibbs, as a former candidate for the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) for Chaguanas East, “knew or ought to have known that the said posts would be of a particularly sensational nature.
“The court would be asked to infer that the defendant made those publications with the knowledge that it was libelous and/or reckless as to the false contents and nature of the article and that no regard was given or attempted to be given as to its truth.”
The lawsuit also said a pre-action letter was sent to Gibbs who has failed to respond and the defamatory posts are still available to readers, continuing to harm the minister’s “well-established character and reputation.”
Imbert is claiming damages, including general, aggravated and exemplary damages; an injunction to prohibit publication of the statements or similar comments; an apology and public retraction to be approved by his attorneys and the court.
“This public statement should take the same form as the original defamatory publication, being equally highlighted on the defendant’s TikTok account and Facebook account,” the lawsuit said.
Farai Hove Masaisai, Chelsea Edwards and Mpule Williams represent Imbert.
