A civil lawsuit with a hefty price tag of US$1 million is set to move forward against CCC politician Tendai Biti, who stands accused of defaming land development company Augur Investments’ owner, Mr. Kenneth Sharpe, along with another senior executive.
After Biti’s application for leave to appeal at the Supreme Court was dismissed, the lawsuit gained momentum. The application was promptly struck off the roll, leaving Biti responsible for covering the costs.
The lawsuit was initiated by Augur and Mr. Sharpe three years ago, following Biti’s Twitter allegation that Sharpe was the most corrupt person involved in looting Zimbabwe’s resources.
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| Mr. Kenneth Sharpe Given the Go-Ahead - USD$1 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Tendai Biti! |
Despite Biti’s objections, the High Court ruled against him, granting a default judgment. In a bid to challenge the High Court’s decision, Biti turned to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal.
However, Justice Alfas Chitakunye, presiding over the case in chambers, struck down the appeal application on the grounds that it was improper before the court. Justice Chitakunye pointed out that the High Court’s order, which Biti sought to challenge, was a default judgment, indicating that Biti should have resolved the matter in the lower court before approaching the Supreme Court.
Moreover, Biti’s application was filed after the mandatory 10-day period stipulated in the Supreme Court rules, following the High Court’s refusal to grant leave to appeal. Justice Chitakunye emphasized Biti’s failure to seek condonation for filing the application out of time, as required by the court’s rules.
Augur Investments is pursuing US$500,000 in damages from Biti, with Mr. Sharpe claiming US$400,000 and Chief Operations Officer Tatiana Aleshina seeking US$100,000. Additionally, Mr. Sharpe pointed out that Biti’s tweets were part of an opposition party’s malicious agenda.
In December 2020, Biti allegedly published two more defamatory statements targeting Mr. Sharpe, Ms. Aleshina, and several other prominent business figures, accusing them of being part of an elite group responsible for bleeding Zimbabwe’s resources.
Advocate Daphne Sanhanga, instructed by Mr. Bright Mahuni of Scanlen and Holderness, represented Augur and its executives, while Professor Lovemore Madhuku stood as Biti’s legal representative. With the civil lawsuit proceeding, the stage is set for a legal showdown with significant financial stakes.
Moreover, Biti’s application was filed after the mandatory 10-day period stipulated in the Supreme Court rules, following the High Court’s refusal to grant leave to appeal. Justice Chitakunye emphasized Biti’s failure to seek condonation for filing the application out of time, as required by the court’s rules.
Augur Investments is pursuing US$500,000 in damages from Biti, with Mr. Sharpe claiming US$400,000 and Chief Operations Officer Tatiana Aleshina seeking US$100,000. Additionally, Mr. Sharpe pointed out that Biti’s tweets were part of an opposition party’s malicious agenda.
 |
| Mr. Kenneth Sharpe Given the Go-Ahead - USD$1 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Tendai Biti! |
Advocate Daphne Sanhanga, instructed by Mr. Bright Mahuni of Scanlen and Holderness, represented Augur and its executives, while Professor Lovemore Madhuku stood as Biti’s legal representative. With the civil lawsuit proceeding, the stage is set for a legal showdown with significant financial stakes.
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