Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) Chief Executive Officer Jonny Anderson faces a jail term for allegedly allowing the destruction of an advertisement billboard despite a court order.
According to an advertisement company, Backlite Limited, the court had issued orders barring the pulling down of its billboard at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) but KAA allowed its removal despite being served with a court order.
"We rushed to JKIA and served KAA with the court order on June 21, but even after that, the removal and vandalism of the billboard continued and by evening that day, another billboard had been pulled down in contempt of the status quo order," Backlite stated.
[caption caption="Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director Jonny Andersen"]
[/caption]
However, on their part, KAA mentioned that no sufficient reasons have been produced to justify why KAA's chief executive should be jailed for contempt.
The authority also stated that the application by Backlite should not be allowed and it does not have any contractual obligation.
"Any contract that Backlite can claim it has had a time frame which is at all enforceable, should not be extended beyond its term by the issuance of any injunctive orders," KAA affirmed.
Backlite commented that KAA's action in authorising the continued removal of the billboards by another firm, despite the court order was illegal.
Additionally, they asserted that the authority's action was also a clear indication of intent to frustrate the order and resolution of the dispute, which seeks to protect the billboards.
The case has been scheduled for hearing on July 17.
Backlite has previously been in court against government orders that saw the pulling down of another one of their billboards at Nyayo National Stadium.
[caption caption="Scene of the sight where the billboard had been constructed"]
[/caption]
