Joe Mwangi now goes after Citizen TV, Jeff Koinange over Wendy Waeni interview
Joe Mwangi, the disgraced former manager of contortionist Wendy Waeni has sent a letter to Royal Media Services demanding an apology over an interview conducted by its senior journalist Jeff Koinange.
In the demand letter, Mwangi’s lawyer claims the media house ruined the reputation and profession of his client while interviewing Wendy on its Jeff Koinange Live (JKL) show.
The letter says that the statements made during the show were “malicious misstatement, injurious falsehoods which affected his personal, official and professional reputation”.
Mwangi also alleges in the letter that he was later arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and detained at Nairobi area DCI offices, due to public pressure, before being arraigned and charged with forging a letter purporting to be from the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i that threatened Wendy’s mother.
He adds that he continues to suffer the consequences of the media house’s “defamatory” statements.
The beleaguered Mwangi now wants Royal Media Services to admit liability within seven days after which both sides can discuss the damages.
He is also demanding a written apology from the media house owned by SK Macharia in “clearly worded terms” through Citizen TV, all electronic and print media exonerating Mwangi from Waeni’s said slanderous remarks.
The entertainment scene manager also demands that the apology in print media should be advertised within the first three pages of all top newspapers with nationwide circulation.
The letter further demands that Koinange interviews both Wendy and her mother Magdalene Syombua afresh for them to apologise to Mwangi for allegedly lying to the public and also retract any written statement or video, name and images of Mwangi that were uploaded on any of the media house’s platforms.
Mwangi’s lawyer threatens to move to court in seven days and file a suit against Royal Media Services if it fails to heed to conditions set out in the demand letter.
Wendy’s story came to light during an interview on Citizen TV’s JKL, where the famous contortionist claimed that she had not received a single penny from her manager for her performances across the globe for the last five years.
Her former manager however blamed Wendy’s mother for poorly managing funds raised for the girl, claiming that she was an alcoholic and this resulted in poor management of the cash, allegations the girl’s mother refuted.
Based on the claims and pressure from members of the public Mwangi was arrested in September 2019 in connection with forgery and issuing threats to Wendy’s mother.
Wendy who has performed for audiences around the world, including Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and started her craft at the age of four in Huruma estate where her group used to practice in an open field.