Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has threatened to sue International media house, BBC, after the broadcaster carried an investigative piece linking him to a corruption scandal at the British America Tobacco (BAT).
In a statement, Wetangula confirmed that he had instructed his Lawyer James Orengo, to take legal action against any media house that reported the 'libelous story' starting with the BBC.
The Bungoma Senator defended his trip to London that had been mentioned in the story as one of the favours he had received from BAT stating that: “My trip to London in July 2012 was as follows, I was part of the Kenyan delegation that accompanied President Mwai Kibaki, our then President, to the London Olympics which also coincided with an investment conference for Kenya at that time.”
Wetangula further rubbished the allegations saying they were out to taint his image and ought to have sounded atleast credible.
“As a Foreign Minister of this country in deputy capacity and full Minister for close to nine years, that I can degenerate to a level of being bought a business class ticket to London? When the Government that I was serving was buying me a ticket of better quality to go to London for official duty? I fail to understand this,” he said.
In the press briefing, Wetangula also indicated that he was informed that BAT's Lobbyist Julie Adell-Owino, mentioned alongside him in the scandal, had denied the claims and was in the process of taking legal action.
In the investigative documentary aired on BBC's Panorama programme, Wetangula, the then Trade Minister, was mentioned as one of the politicians in Africa who had been bribed to bend anti-smoking laws in countries where BAT conducted its operations.
The tobacco company allegedly paid for a business class return flight for the legislator to London, where he was hosted at the company's headquarters.
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