A United Kingdom (UK)-based couple has slapped social media sensation Lameck Chimoka with a $50 000 lawsuit for emotional abuse.
This emerged in court after Patricia Chakanyuka Zenda and her husband, David, were granted a peace order against Chimoka who gained popularity after speaking ill of his in-laws at a funeral.
Chimoka, who is now known as Lameck among social media users, shot to fame overnight when his video went viral.
In its suit, the UK-based couple claim Lameck recorded an audio castigating them for allegedly neglecting their family back home.
Lameck is said to have made the offensive remarks while donating groceries to the couple’s relatives in Mabvuku in Harare.
In the peace order issued on August 2 at the Harare Civil Court, Lameck was ordered to maintain peace with Patricia and David by desisting from assaulting them verbally and physically.
Lameck was also prohibited from visiting the Zenda parents’ house in Mabvuku in Harare.
He was also warned that breaching the order would make him liable of contempt of court charges.
I want to say one thing to the Zenda family; Aaron, David, Patricia and Tsitsi who live in the UK but cannot take care of their brother’s son; it is disheartening that as neighbours we are seen taking over the welfare of your relatives yet you live in expensive houses in London.
“You do not want to take care of your brother’s child just because he is disabled, which is not good . . . I am giving you 48 hours or else . . .
“Can you imagine that at the age of 16, this child has been doing ‘piece jobs’ to cater for his mother and siblings . . . I am giving you 48 hours or else I will hit you with a catapult,” Lameck is accused of saying in the audio.
Patricia and David expressed displeasure at his utterances saying they had been defamed.
“It is undeniable from the above that you have uttered, recorded and further published defamatory statements to third parties which will make people think ill of our clients.
“You made allegations portraying our clients as lacking of integrity and personal morality.
“You have chosen to defame our clients and further threatened to assault them without first gathering facts.
“Our clients have done a lot for the family in question.
“Nonetheless, we wish to stress that they do not have legal obligation to help or maintain the family and it is sad that you have assumed that our clients do not have financial problems of their own.
“Our clients are not sure why you have chosen to make your utterances without verifying some factual information and further why, you threatened to assault them,” the couple’s lawyers, Mauye Zvarevashe Legal Practitioners said.