Activist Boniface Mwangi has denied publishing defamatory statements against Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and wants an injunction against him thrown out.
In his statement of defence dated November 23, Mwangi said it is his right as a journalist and human rights defender to speak.
"The defendent further avers that in his line of work as a journalist and human rights defender, he is constantly targeted by powerful individuals who detest his valour and courage in his pursuit of a just and democratic society," he said.
Last month, in a demand letter through his lawyers, J. Harrison Kinyanjui & Co. Advocates, Mutua said Mwangi knowingly published libelous content across his social media platforms, with intentions to injure the Machakos governor’s reputation.
“As a consequence of your cited publication our client has been gravely injured in his character, credit, and reputation and his standing in the public generally and in the governance community in particular have been brought to great ridicule, scandal and odium, and contempt in the eyes of right thinking members of the society, locally and internationally,” read the demand letter dated October 21.
The governor noted that the latest defamatory statement is part of previous publications about him by the activist.
Mutua added that Mwangi’s words were meant to defame him as a leader of good standing and someone who will be seeking the presidency in 2022 and also implicate his business involvements.
The governor's lawyers demanded that Mwangi retracts all the libelous and defamatory publications about him.
The demand letter came after Mwangi through his social media platforms alleged that the governor had been behind the 'blowing up' of his house in Lukenya, which is under construction.
Mwangi said that despite his complaints of the destruction of his house, Mutua has done nothing to expedite investigations, despite the home being located in his county.
Mwangi had alse referred to Mutua as an 'abusive' man among other allegations.
In a video shared by Mwangi on social media, bullets could be seen.
“I’m not a criminal. I don’t do deals. I have never comprised my values. The state has blown up the house my family was building. The bullets, the explosives they used are on the scene. So what kind of a country are we living in?" Mwangi posed.
A police report said the men who destroyed the activist's house were in a white pickup and had pistols.
According to a statement made by one Issac Ouma, the attackers accosted the site workers, robbed them of personal effects, and destroyed the building that was still under construction with detonators causing three holes.
The suspects who are yet to be identified by the police were in a white pickup with the unknown registration number.
"The cops visited the scene located at Kinanie location in Machakos county and have commenced investigations," National Police Service said.
"Members of the public with any information relating to the incident have been asked by the police to contact them to assist in the investigation."
Mwangi said in his that despite Mutua saying his publications were injurious to his reputation, he had continued with his duties and attended high profile meetings, suggesting he was still in good standing in the society.
He said the suit against him is meant to scuttle investigations into the destruction of his house.
