ANSA Motors sues PEP's Phillip Alexander

ANSA Automotive Ltd – a subsidiary of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies – has sued Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) political leader Phillip Edward Alexander for defamation for claims he made on his Facebook account on July 30.

The offending publication questioned the alleged sale of a luxury Range Rover SUV to a reputed gang leader, who was killed by police this year.

The original comment posted on the Facebook account elicited 44 comments and received 253 “likes,” the lawsuit said.

ANSA Automotive said it has the exclusive distributorship in TT for the Land Rover Range Rover.

It alleged that Alexander has the propensity to refer to the group’s companies in disparaging and defamatory ways.

The lawsuit said the words published by Alexander were meant to imply that the automotive company was engaged in criminal conduct, was in the habit of selling products or providing services to gang members and drug traffickers and facilitated their lifestyles, and sold a Range Rover to an alleged gang lord.

The lawsuit also alleged Alexander suggested that the company does not observe the law and said his claims were reckless, false, and malicious and caused considerable distress.

In his defence, filed on Wednesday, Alexander denied the claims, and said there were two Facebook accounts which bear the name “Phillip Edward Alexander,” one being a profile page and another a fan page.

The defence added that both accounts had multiple administrators and there were individuals with unlimited access to post or edit content on either or both pages.

He denied he was the primary publisher of the content on either page and was unable to admit or deny that the offending publication was published on one of his accounts.

He also said the words alleged to be defamatory were not in respect to ANSA Automotive Ltd, nor did they impute defamatory or criminal conduct on the company’s part, as the company’s name was not mentioned.

The matter will come up in the new year.

The company is represented by attorney Andre Rudder. Alexander is represented by attorneys Gregory Armorer, Matthew Gayle and Crystal Paul.