•Mutua said that Mwangi knowingly published libelous content across his social media platforms.
•The governor noted that the latest defamatory is part of previous publications about him, by the activist.
Image: COURTESY
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has threatened to sue activist Boniface Mwangi for defamation.
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 by end of day, Thursday, and issue an unconditional apology in a manner approved by Mutua.
He also demanded that the activist commits in writing that he will not publish any further defamatory material about him.
“Our client will otherwise set in motion the legal process for redress in default of your meeting the terms of the demand as herein demanded and will further seek and pursue ancillary relief and damages at your risk to cost thereof, without any further or other reference to you in this regard,” the letter said.
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.
He also 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."
Edited by CM