Former Australian cricketer apologises to Marlon Samuels for defaming him

West Indies Cricketer Marlon Samuels has won a defamation case that he filed against former Australian Cricketer Geoff Lawson and broadcaster 2KY. Samuel filed the case for malicious comment against him during a radio show in April last year. Last year West Indies won the T20 World Cup for the second time and Samuel’s scored a half-century in the final which helped his team to win the cup. Also in the post-match conference, he commented against the former Australian spinner Shane Warne that, ‘I don’t know the reasons behind the problem, maybe because my face is real and his is not’.

After that incident, the former Aussie Cricketer Geoff Lawson said in a podcast about Samuel’s that, “He’s tied up with some shady people back in the West Indies….he’s a guy you don’t muck around with on or off the field. He’s from Kingston, Jamaica, it’s one of the murder capitals of the world…he’s tied up with gangs there, it goes well beyond cricket”. So Samuels brought upon the case against Lawson and the broadcaster after it was falsely alleged he had links to criminal gangs in Jamaica.

Samuels’ barrister Suzette A Thompson said in a statement that, “These comments were published and aired without proper journalist research, nor was Samuels contacted to give his views on the damaging remarks about his character”. Samuels was pleased to be able to successfully defend his character and he also said that he was hoping that the same thing will not happen to any other sportsperson again. He also added that “Through this case, my intention was not only to defend my integrity and image as an international cricketer, but also the values I have defended all my career”. So, finally the 2KY and Geoff Lawson’s apology will be put on air at a time that will be decided collectively by all the parties involved.