The apology was published as a paid advert in a newspaper over the weekend and signed by a woman who claimed, weeks ago, that her daughter had been sexually abused by a teacher at Kalibu Academy.
In the apology, the woman said her daughter “blatantly lied” about the sexual abuse because she wanted to be removed from the school.
“Naturally, I sided with my daughter without a shred of evidence.
“Kalibu took the matter to the High Court and sued for defamation. In the course of my being forced to settle out of court, my daughter confessed that she had lied and had made up the whole story. Despite other parents challenging me in the face of strong evidence from their students I chose to believe my daughter
“In the light of clear evidence, I am now forced to believe the Academy over my daughter! I sincerely apologise and ask the Academy and everyone involved to find it in their hearts to forgive me,” reads part of the apology.
Legal expert, Charles Mhango, suspects that the apology was drafted by a lawyer and not the woman who signed it.
He also faulted the lawyer who drafted the apology for not taking into consideration that the apology was for a wider audience beyond the parties directly involved.
“The apology is insensitive in many respects and to other stakeholders in the matter at hand. In principle the reference to some of the stakeholders in there, sounds demeaning and bordering on further defamation rather than being remorseful,” said Mhango.
