Former journalist ordered to pay his boss Sh8m for defamatory Facebook posts
Former Standard Newspaper journalist Vincent Mabatuk has been ordered to pay his former boss Alex Kiprotich Sh 8 million for defamation through a Facebook post.
Chief magistrate JB Kalo of Nakuru Law Courts ordered Mabatuk to pay Kiprotich Sh 6 million for general damages and Sh 2 million for the costs of the case.
Kiprotich had filed the suit seeking an apology and retraction of similar prominence as the defamatory Facebook posts, damages for malicious falsehoods and exemplary damages.
The Standard Newspaper’s Rift Valley regional editor had also sued for damages for psychological and emotional distress and compensation for the costs of the suit and their accrued interests.
DAMAGES
“On the quantum of damages payable, the court has considered the submissions by the counsel and the authorities relied on. The court has also considered comparable case law,” Kalo said.
Mabatuk and his former boss fell out during campaigns ahead of the 2017 general elections where they rooted for different politicians and Mabatuk posted a series of face posts that prompted Kiprotich to sue him.
Kiprotich, in his submission, said that when Mabatuk published the posts he was an outstanding professional with vast experience in the field of journalism among others, a person of good name and reputation, high standing, integrity and deservedly held in high esteem by general public and colleagues in the media industry.