NTV anchor Larry Madowo faces possible jail time, fine or both for contempt of court. Larry will answer why he should not be jailed for contempt of court in a case in which blogger Cyprian Nyakundi sued him for defamation.
In the case, blogger Cyprian Nyakundi took issue with him writing an article in his blog that he claimed disparaged his character. The article Of broke ‘bigwigs,’ social media ‘influencers’ and sh50m tweets came about when an alleged recording of extortion was leaked. In the audio recording, social media influencer Arthur Mandela, popularly known as Xtian Dela is heard negotiating with a Bidco Limited representative a pay off to ensure Nyakundi stops writing about the company.
The story in part reads
Nyakundi asked for Sh50 million, according to an audio tape leaked to the gossip blog Ghafla! Xtian talks him down to Sh15-20million and he promises to ‘walk away’ from the whole thing. The recorded conversation is between the middlemen Xtian and an unidentified Bidco representative. We now know it was Bidco’s Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Pharis Kimaru. They get Nyakundi on phone and he expressly agrees to scrub the internet of his Bidco expose and never mention it or Vimal again if he gets his oily pay cheque.
The Judge had however ordered the parties to refrain from commenting on the case until it is heard and determined. It is alleged that Larry did not, hence the contempt of court was filed by Nyakundi through his lawyer Ann Nderu.
The case before Lady Justice Beatrice Thuranira Jaden Nthiori will be heard in February 2017.