Justice Joseph Sergon agreed with Ms Karua that claims by Mr Kuria that she was among leaders who procured witnesses to ‘fix’ Deputy President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), were damaging to her reputation.
Ms Karua had sought Sh20 million as damages, but the judge granted her Sh5 million for general damages and a further Sh1.5 million for aggravated and exemplary damages.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has been ordered to pay former Minister and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua Sh6.5 million for defamation.
Justice Joseph Sergon agreed with Ms Karua that claims by Mr Kuria that she was among leaders who procured witnesses to ‘fix’ Deputy President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), were damaging to her reputation.
Ms Karua had sought Sh20 million as damages, but the judge granted her Sh5 million for general damages and a further Sh1.5 million for aggravated and exemplary damages.
Although the controversial MP was represented in court at the initial stages of the case, he never defended the matter to the conclusion.
In final submissions through lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, Ms Karua complained that the words uttered by Mr Kuria were damaging to her reputation and lowered her dignity among right thinking members of the society.
She protested that claims by Mr Kuria were malicious, unwarranted and defamatory in nature as they injured her character, personal credit and reputation as well as standing as a politician, business and family woman and an advocate.
On his part, Mr Kuria has stated that Ms Karua was a senior member of PNU and took part in the negotiations with ODM to “cool down” their supporters during the post-election violence that rocked the country in 2007.
The MP, through lawyer Danson Mungatana, said his remarks at a public rally and later at a press conference at Parliament were meant to remind Kenyans what happened during the PNU and ODM negotiations. He had said that the remarks were justified and not defamatory as alleged.
Ms Karua said Mr Kuria made the remarks during a political rally in Kapsokwony in Bungoma County on September 21, 2015 at a political rally, ‘disguised as a prayer rally’.
According to the former Justice minister, Mr Kuria alleged that she was ready to call him ‘to confirm’ that the procurement of witnesses was just a political game.
She was forced to issue a demand letter the same day, asking the MP to withdraw the remarks and apologise. The defiant MP, however, repeated the same remarks at the precincts of Parliament Building, the following day.
Mr Kuria alleged that they met at Galileo in Westlands, where they drafted, scheming on how to recruit witnesses against the accused persons, in the second case that involved Mr Ruto.
But Ms Karua, the meeting at Galileo was attended by other persons including President Uhuru Kenyatta and was meant to raise funds for victims of the 2007-08 post-election violence. She said the meeting was attended by more than 500 people.
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