The High Court in Nairobi has ordered Nation Media Group to pay billionaire Jimmy Wanjigi and his wife Irene Nzisa a total of Ksh8 million over a fake obituary advert that claimed that he was dead.
The advert had run on Daily Nation in February of 2018.
The Standard reports that when delivering the judgment, high court Judge Wilfrida Okwany stated that the publication had breached Wanjigi’s privacy.
In its defense, Nation Media argued that it was a third party that was paid for the obituary advert.
Since NMG could not name or produce the said client who paid for the advert, their argument was thrown out by the court.
The judge also stated that Nation Media had enjoyed the profit proceeds from the fake advert.
“They carried the obituary hence gained monetary benefit from it,” the judge ruled.
The money awarded will be shared equally between Wanjigi and his wife, the court declared.
Wanjigi’s wife will receive her share as compensation for the pain and anguish caused by the obituary.
"Nation owed a duty of care to make sure that it published accurate and fair information,” Okwany stated.
