High court bars Kudzayi from defaming Ken Sharpe

Online media company Kukurigo Communications has been ordered by High Court judge Justice Regis Dembure to stop publishing defamatory and derogatory content against West Properties Holdings and its chief executive, Ken Sharpe. The ruling was issued on Friday following a legal dispute between the company and Sharpe.

Kukurigo Communications, managed by Edmund Kudzayi, had previously published a series of allegations against Mr. Sharpe, some of which were matters still before the courts. In response, Justice Dembure issued a provisional order interdicting Kudzayi, Farai Machamire, Nominate Chazwe, and Kukurigo Communications from publishing any defamatory content about West Properties and Mr. Sharpe.

West Properties, however, is seeking a final order that would permanently bar the three individuals, Kukurigo Communications, and any persons acting on their behalf from publishing, producing, or disseminating any defamatory or derogatory content about the company and its CEO. This legal action aligns with a mutual settlement agreement that Mr. Sharpe signed with the named parties in March 2024.

The case took a dramatic turn last week when Chazwe was arrested on allegations of extorting the company and Mr. Sharpe by threatening to blackmail him. Chazwe was placed on remand, while his alleged accomplice, Kudzayi, is reportedly on the run and has yet to appear in court. These developments prompted Mr. Sharpe to seek court intervention to prevent further defamation against him and West Properties.