Deputy President William Ruto has sued activist Boniface Mwangi over defamatory tweets published last week.
Ruto moved to court under a Certificate of Urgency, through lawyer Kioko Kilukumi seeking orders to compel the activist to delete the defamatory tweet and stop injuring his reputation any further.
In the suit papers seen by Capital FM News, Ruto specifically wants Mwangi to retract the offending tweets and apologise arguing that they have injured his reputation, discredited him and are likely to cause him to be shunned in public.
The lawyer said the tweets have also exposed the Deputy President to contempt and ridicule.
“My name has been brought into public scandal, odium, ridicule, contempt and my feelings have been hurt and thus suffered considerable embarrassment and distress” he states in the suit papers.
Ruto further wants Mwangi directed to publish a suitably worded apology and retraction to be given a prominent coverage in social, print, and electronic media.
The suit was filed a day after Mwangi fired a reply to the Deputy President’s apology demand, in which he dared him “let’s meet in court.”
Ruto said in suit papers that the defamatory tweet has so far been retweeted by 882 people and liked by 800 others, causing him “extensive damage.”
He is seeking compensation from the activist but has not quantified the exact amount sought.
According to the Deputy President, the activist published defamatory words which in their plain and ordinary meaning allegedly link him to the murder of the late business man Jacob Juma.
The tweet according to Ruto, is not only false but actuated by malice
