The standard Newspaper has been ordered by Eldoret high Court to pay sh 9 million for defamation charges as damages over publishing false claims that linked a law firm to the cemetery land scandal in Nairobi.
Onyinkwa and Company is to be paid the sh 9 million for being listed in the newspaper published report as one of the firms being probed by the Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission for allegedly looting part of the 283 million.
Justice Azangalala made the ruling in a case which the law firm had sued the media company for publishing the story on Wednesday March 10th 2012 under the headline “Mudavadi probed over cemetery saga.’’ The story had indicated how the law firm among others was involved in looting money set aside for the new public burial ground in Nairobi. The publication also linked brokers, lawyers and other government officials in the published report.
A lawyer in the firm, Paul Gicheru had sued the newspaper for defamation. The standard newspaper is set to publish an apology to the law firm within 30 days in accordance to the court’s ruling.
The firm which is owned by family members comprising of Ibrahim Onyinkwa, Dennis Onyinkwa and Evalyne Onyinkwa will be paid sh 5million, sh 2million and sh 2million respectively as damages.
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