Ruto’s Aide, Chief of Staff Threaten the Standard with Legal Action After Libellous Echesa Story

The plot around the Ksh39 billion gun fraud case, against Deputy President William Ruto’s close ally, ex-sports cabinet secretary Rashid Echesa, on Sunday, thickened, after two close employees of the DP threatened to sue a local newspaper over a libelous article.

Ruto’s personal aide Farouk Kibet, and his chief of staff Ken Osinde, through Z.M. and Company Advocates, gave the Standard three hours to issue an apology, for naming them as some of the officials set to be questioned by DCI officials, in relation to the case, in which Echesa is accused of attempting to influence the award of a high profile government gun and ammunition supply tender, on behalf of foreign nationals.

According to Kibet and Osinde, the Standard including their names in the article that was published on Sunday could only mean that the media company has implicated them in crimes that they were innocent of, such as corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

In demand letters seen by Opera News, the two, apart from demanding an apology, also wanted all links to the said article pulled down from all Standard news sites, and that the company should make an admission to the mistake in writing, after which the parties would engage in discussions on the quantum of damages.

They also demanded that the Standard publish a public apology on the matter in their next issue.

”TAKE NOTICE that should you not comply with our Demand within the next THREE (3) HOURS from the time of service hereof, our firm instructions are to file suit against you for defamation and injunctive orders, without further notice to yourselves and at your added risk as to costs and all other consequences ensuing therefrom,” the letters read in part.

A screengrab of the article in question

”We trust that this will not be necessary and look forward to hearing from you within the stipulated deadline.”

Echesa is expected to be released from police custody on Monday, having spent the weekend behind bars after the prosecution requested time to gather evidence on the case.

He is expected to post a Ksh1 million bail as part of the conditions for his release.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *