Continuing Contempt: Man Faces Jail over Relentless Defamatory Emails

A man's persistent campaign of sending defamatory emails has not only earned him the ire of the Liberty Group but also a third contempt of court order along with a looming year-long jail sentence should his behavior persist. Gauteng's High Court in Johannesburg presided by Judge Leonie Windell has once again taken action against Bob Mano's relentless stream of derogatory messages.

Despite previous sentences, including a two-month jail term he has already served, Mano continued his barrage of emails. These communications included vulgar language and threats toward Liberty Group executives and their family members. In a continued attempt to protect its employees and reputation, Liberty Group had approached the court seeking direct imprisonment of Mano due to his non-compliance with the 2018 interdict and subsequent orders.

The heart of Mano's grievance, which began in 2017, alleges that the Liberty Group used his intellectual property in an advertising campaign without his consent or offering him credit. Despite initial attempts to engage with the company via emails, which he claims were ignored, Liberty Group responded with an injunction. Mano rationalizes his email outpourings as therapeutic for managing his trauma.

However, the court has firmly noted that Mano has indeed violated previous court orders by continuing to disseminate derogatory and hostile emails. As a deterrent, Mano was granted a conditional reprieve with a one-year jail sentence suspended for five years. This decision takes into account his recent release from incarceration, with the hope that the punitive measures will encourage reform in his conduct.

This ruling underlines the judiciary's stance on curbing harassment and defamatory communications. It reinforces the view that freedom of expression does not extend to abusive and threatening behavior, a principle increasingly relevant in the digital age where email and social media platforms can be misused to perpetuate harm.