Court awards Kenyan journalist 'Smitta' Sh9m in sexual harassment case

The court on Monday awarded journalist, poet and author Tony Mochama Sh9 million in damages in a defamation suit.

Magistrate A Obura directed that Shalja Patel and Prof Wambui Mwangi furnish him with a written apology within 14 days.

Mochama went to court in 2014 after two women accused him of sexual harassment on September 20, 2014 at a lunch meeting at the home of Wambui.

The meeting was to discuss the business of the Africa Poetry Book Fund with the Fund’s founder, Prof Kwame Dawes.

“Much as they may prefer a trial through Twitter and other 21st century forms of witch hunting.. Jesus was falsely accused and crucified. I refuse to follow his noble example. Slap me, but do not expect me to meekly turn the other cheek,” Mochama had said previously.