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Former radio queen Ciku Muiruri sues Jicho Pevu


Former radio presenter Ciku Muiruri has sued KTN journalist Mohamed Ali for allegedly linking her to the infamous Artur Brothers.

Charity Wanjiku Muiruri, also known as  Ciku, claims that a clip played in April last year in the ‘Jicho Pevu’ series showing her in the company of Mr Artur Magaryan and Mr Artus Sargasyan has maligned her personality and ruined her future prospects.

Journalist Mohamed Ali is popularly known for his investigative series ‘Jicho Pevu‘.

Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan
Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan

Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan are two Armenian brothers who left Kenya in 2005 following accusations that they were global conmen, criminals and drug traffickers.

Ms Muiruri was featured in the ‘Jicho Pevu’ episode titled ‘Ghururi ya Saitoti‘, an investigative report on the circumstance of the death of Internal Security minister George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojode.

The series carried a clip showing Ms Muiruri being lifted and placed on a counter by one of the Artur brothers and was followed with the statement: “those people are seeking all means to ensure Kenyans forget the information, and it is believed that the bomb blast along Moi Avenue, Nairobi, was one of their strategy and was intended to fool Kenyans.”

Ms Muiruri, in her court papers, says that she had for long been looking for an exclusive interview with the Artur brothers,  and that the opportunity presented itself when the two invited media personalities to their home in Runda estate, Nairobi.

That evening, she says,  the Armenian brothers requested to take a photo with her to which she obliged. That was the context in which the  footage used in the Jicho Pevu series was taken.

“I am aware Mr Magaryan lifted me and placed me on a counter, which was surprising to me and we then posed for pictures. However, it was not unusual for him as I was not the only one he took pictures with him in this fashion during the said evening,” Ms Muiruri states.

Ms Muiruri, in her papers, states that the clip was taken at a time she was working as a journalist and that she was knowingly selected, from among many other unconcerned persons and media personalities, who had attended a function with the Artur Brothers.

The  investigative series she says, maliciously linked her to drug dealing in Kenya and made her appear like a woman  of loose morals and a person who engages in criminal activities.

“The statements were needless, malicious and with the intention to causing disrepute and to humiliate me in the eyes of the person who watched the programme,” Ms Muiruri states.

She explained that she was an unnecessary person in the entire documentary, but Mr Ali refused to edit her out as was the case in the English Version being “The Inside Story” which did not feature her.

Ms Muiruri said she was never involved in the death of Prof Saitoti, neither was she part of a plan to execute the minister or any other persons, and that the statements made while at the same time showing her, was irresponsible journalism, malicious and intended to injure her reputation.

As a result of the injuries on her personality and career, Ms Muiruri wants to be compensated for damages.