Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has demanded the Star to apologize to him over alleged defamatory story on his HIV status.
Sonko has given the media company three days to apologize, failure to which he will take legal action. According to Sonko, allegations made in the story on his HIV status are malicious.
“That your said malicious and spiteful statements were published without inquiring the truth or falsity thereof….that the said publication has inflicted great prejudice to and has caused our said client extreme damage to his otherwise good reputation as a businessman and community leader,” part of the letter that was issued by Cecil Miller who is Sonko’s lawyer read.
According to a report by Citizen TV, the star newspaper claimed that a judge had ruled Governor ‘Sonko’ to be a HIV patient hence being released three months before the end of his one-year sentence.
Sonko's lawyer claimed the newspaper knew the accusations made in the story were false but still went ahead to publish it. The lawyer further demanded the company to apologize in writing.
“In consequence, we are instructed to demand an apology and retraction of your said defamatory statements. The publication should be in words acceptable to our client and given similar prominence as of the publication complained of,” Miller told Tuko News.
The title of the story that was published by The Star was titled; How HIV report helped Sonko out of Kamiti Maximum Prison.