Internationally acclaimed composer extraordinaire Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake has interdicted his ex-wife, Pretty Samuels, from calling him a tax fraud, among other things, after she did so during their fight over his R1.2-million grand piano, which she allegedly stole from a rented storage facility in Sandton, Joburg, last month.
Morake received the urgent order to gag Samuels from the Johannesburg High Court last month, and he intends to sue her at a later stage.
Samuels and another person called Erin, who apparently bought the piano, were cited in the application for interdict as the first and second respondents, respectively.
The order, which Sunday World has seen, reads as follows: “Pending the institution of defamation action against the first respondent to be instituted within 30 days of this order, the first respondent is ordered to retract any defamatory statements concerning the first applicant from all relevant social media.
The first applicant is interdicted from further publishing any defamatory statements against the applicant.
“The first respondent is directed to pay the cost of this application on an attorney-and-client basis.”
In the court papers, Morake said a media outlet, Maphepha Ndaba, issued two statements on Instagram about his missing grand piano on April 1 this year.
Thereafter, he said, Samuels took to social media on April 4 and said she had been quiet about the abuse she alleges she suffered when she was married to Morake.
“I’ve been quiet about his affairs and his SARS tax fraud. His broken piano formed part of the divorce settlement, and he now cries foul when he kept my belongings, which I bought with my hard-earned cash.
“Someone please find this 61-year-old another wife so he stops giving me attention I don’t seek!” she posted.
Morake stated that Samuels’ statement was intended to mean and was understood by an ordinary reader to mean that he is abusive and that he is involved in SARS fraud.
“In addition, the offending statement in the context of the first respondent as a whole was intended and understood by the ordinary reader to mean that I lied about being the rightful owner and possessor of a grand piano.
“In essence, the statement is intended and understood to mean that, according to the divorce settlement agreement, the first respondent was entitled to take ownership and possession of my grand piano.
“I am advised, and which advice I accept, that the offending statement is therefore defamatory to me, which allegations I deny completely.
“I am not an abuser, nor am I involved in any tax fraud activities. I am a person with integrity and am honest in my conduct,” he stated.
Morake said the tax fraud allegations were malicious attempts by Samuels to violate his constitutional right to dignity.
He said on April 6, his lawyers wrote a letter of demand to Samuels to apologise and retract the statements, but she ignored them.
“As a person who is a public figure and well known internationally, the offending statement was made with the intention to defame, injure, and damage my reputation. My reputation and good name form an integral part of my dignity and my business.
“The damages caused by such an offending statement will not be undone if the first respondent does not retract and apologise publicly.
“I gave the first respondent an opportunity to retract and apologise. She failed to do so within the requested time period,” he stated.
Morake said he stood to lose a lot if Samuels continues with the tirade and labels him a tax fraud.
“I therefore humbly and respectfully submit that I am entitled to an order declaring that my right to dignity, reputation, and good name has been unlawfully infringed by the publication of the offending statement made by the first respondent.”
