A man has been ordered to pay Teso North MP Arthur Odera Kshs 5 million for defaming him on Facebook.
High Court Judge Mbogholi Msagha ruled that Peter Ekisa alias Shujaa Ekisa should pay the MP for posting on his Facebook wall that Odera had allegedly misused Uwezo Fund resources.
The judge found that the post was meant to injure the MP’s character and was threatening to his political life.
“In my judgment, the plaintiff has proved his case against the defendant and is, therefore, entitled to damages. I have already stated the plaintiff’s public standing in society and more particularly in the eyes of the people he represents in parliament. There is no doubt whatsoever that the allegations were serious and may have serious repercussion in his future political life,” judge Msagha ruled.
In the case, Odera told the court that he had tried to have Ekisa pull down the Facebook post voluntarily, but his pleas were not heeded.
According to an article in the Standard, the MP told the court that the man opted to go to social media as it had mass subscribers.
The judge awarded the lawmaker Kshs 2 million as general damages and another Kshs 3 million for the malicious words and as a punishment to Ekisa.
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