Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah has responded to a defamation suit filed against him by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.
The lawmaker says the press statement he issued in January on illicit drug trade was not directed at the governor. He has denied the press statement was malicious, saying it was made as an opinion.
Joho moved to court after the Kikuyu MP, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, and Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi refused to apologized for linking him to the narcotics trade.
The Mombasa governor says as a result of the MPs’ remarks he has suffered a loss to his reputation.
“They were also meant to mean that I am involved in the illegal business of trafficking drugs and that I’m a drug trafficker who is responsible for the wasting and deaths of the Kenyan youths arising from drug abuse,” Joho said in his suit papers.
But in his rejoinder, Kimani Ichung’wah says Joho has suffered nothing to warrant any grant of damages.
“If any publication was done following the press release, then the publication was a fair comment and contained a matter of public interest. I have no authority to cause the press release to be published in print or electronic media or whatever platform and I want to put Joho to strict proof,” he says.
On Tuesday, Deputy Registrar of the High Court, Wandia Nyamu, directed that Joho serves Ichung’wa and the court with the video clip containing the defaming statements within seven days.
The matter will be mentioned on August 1 to confirm compliance.
