Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua at a past function ( Photo/standardmedia.co.ke)
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has been dealt a major blow after a court of appeal asked him to pay Nation Media Group Sh12 million.
According to Daily Nation, Justices Gatembu Kairu and Roselyn Nambuye of the appellate court overturned a ruling which awarded the county boss was awarded Sh4.5 million over a defamatory story.
Mutua had moved to court to sue the media house over a defamatory story in 2008, and High Court Judge George Dulu directed the media house to pay him the said amount in 2011.
The story had been published by the now-defunct Daily Metro on February 11, 2008 when Mutua was a government spokesman. The story was written after Mutua made remarks on a radio station in Kampala, Uganda that were seen as inflammatory. Through its lawyer, Guto Mogere, the nation media group termed the remarks as not only dangerous but also careless.
The order comes at a time when the county boss is fighting to defend his seat after Former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti moved to court seeking for the nullification of his win during the August general elections. Ndeti has insisted that Mutua’s win does not reflect the will of the people of Machakos.