Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has given the Standard newspaper seven days to publish an apology and retraction over a ‘defamatory’ story the newspaper recently ran.
Through his lawyers Paul Mwangi & Co advocates, Mr Odinga said that Standard’s story 'Former Prime Minister named in KQ Cargo saga' failed to prove his involvement in the collapse of the cargo company.
"We have firm instructions to commence proceedings against the journalist of the offending words and the establishment, Standard Group as the publisher thereof within seven days if the said retraction and apology are not published as demanded," read the letter in part.
The opposition leader further argued that Standard wrote the story with the intention to create an impression that he was responsible for the closure of the airline cargo company.
"From the story there is no link between the winding up of the Kenya Airways cargo handling business and our client, save that our client held one share out of 1,000 in a competing cargo business at the time," the letter further stated.
Raila said that he and the company Astral Aviation Limited (where he is a shareholder)had no influence over the KQ board's decision to close the cargo business.
"Any benefit that may have befallen on Astral Aviation Limited resulting from the winding up of the Kenya Airways cargo handling business was not exclusive to it but was enjoyed by all other companies carrying out airfreight cargo handling business in Kenya."
If Raila’s threats are solid, the Standard newspaper then has until Monday next week to apologise and retract the allegations in the story before the lawyers press legal charges.