Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has been ordered to pay Sh7.5 million to former Permanent Secretary Patrick Wamoto for defamation.
Milimani Commercial Senior Principal Magistrate SK Njoro determined that Barasa’s claims, which suggested Wamoto was excluded by the Public Service Commission due to financial misconduct related to the Kenyan embassy in Tokyo, were false and damaging.
The magistrate stated that Wamoto successfully proved his case and ruled in his favor, requiring Barasa to issue a written apology within 30 days, which must also be broadcast on Sulwe FM Radio at the same time as the original defamatory remarks.
Additionally, the court has prohibited Barasa from making any further defamatory statements about Wamoto. Wamoto, who was a respected public servant at the time of the comments, argued that Barasa’s allegations undermined his professional reputation by implying that his appointment was due to favoritism rather than merit.
The ambassador contended that the statements were false, malicious, and intended to damage his reputation as a public officer and diplomatic professional, thereby lowering his standing among right-thinking members of the public.
“The alleged defamatory statements, as translated from Bukusu, include accusations that Wamoto’s nomination to the PSC was initially rejected due to financial malpractices linked to the Tokyo Embassy in Japan”, court documents state.
The court heard that despite demands for a retraction and apology, Barasa remained unapologetic.
