Nation Media Group is now having it rough after Embakasi East MP, Babu Owino took legal action against them for their explosive DJ Evolve interview that since went viral.
In a letter seen by Ghafla, addressed to NMG from Babu’s lawyers, Okatch & Partners Advocates, their client considered the exclusive news story as defamatory and ill-founded.
An exclusive news story that headlined: “DJ Evolve speaks of life after being shot by Babu Owino.”
Allegations
According to the MP’s lawyers, there was no one point that the DJ, Felix Orinda stated that he was shot by their client.
In fact, even before your news item, the said Felix Orinda has never ever stated in any forum whatsoever that he was shot by our client.
NTV’s story therefore gave the lawyers the impression that they were out to “attack, accuse, persecute, reprimand, convict their client in the eyes of the public.”
Also read: Why DJ Evolve’s case might take time before getting justice
Further stating that the station had seemingly told the public that Babu took plea on the two charges leveled against him, while it is instead, actually an ongoing case.
Your story as introduced and aired, thus directly infringes on our client’s constitutional rights to a fair hearing and tried to render the process of hearing irrelevant as you have (without any mandate whatsoever) already prosecuted, convicted and reprimanded our client.
Adding:
The alleged CCTV footage you also aired in the story has not been admitted as evidence by a Court of Law to allow you to rely on it in your malicious story in the manner you so did.
A story that was also published in the Nation newspaper’s front page on July 1, titled: “As victim waits for justice, his life goes on.”
Also read: Babu Owino risks impeachment as city lawyer takes up case against DJ Evolve
Demands
To this effect, Babu Owino, born Paul Ongili’s lawyers stated “if we do not hear from you within Two (2) days from the date of this letter, we have strict and peremptory instructions to institute legal proceedings against you for slanderous and libellous defamation.”
The letter went ahead to indicate that this was not the first time the media house had tried to turn the public against the legislator. Therefore painting the picture that NMG was out to completely destroy Babu’s political career.
The letter’s demands in part, were that: “an appropriate apology addressing their exclusive story be published and broadcast on their platforms, while admitting liability for the slanderous libellous statements after which damages incurred will be addressed.”
