The fight between a US-based Kenyan journalist and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has escalated.
On Thursday, December 5, 2019, Justice Anthony Ndung'u summoned the PS to appear before the High Court and pay Ksh12.4 million as compensation to Peter Makori but failed to do so.
In the suit filed 13 years ago, the journalist had accused the Kenyan government of torture, illegal confinement and malicious prosecution and was awarded compensation by Justice David Majanja.
While appearing in court on October 2019, Kibicho, through his lawyer Prisca Wambui, promised that the government would settle the pending compensation before December 2019, as required.
Wambui told the court in another instance on September 26, 2019, that payment had already been authorised and successfully applied for an adjournment of the contempt of court hearing until early December 2019.
The lawyer stated that by this time, she would have proof of payments in court.
On Wednesday, November 4, however, the case came up for hearing but both the PS and his representatives did show up in court, as reported by Daily Nation.
Makori's lawyer then asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest against the PS for misleading the court.
Since the directive was issued, the nearly crippled journalist revealed that he was frustrated by what he termed as “deliberate obstacles” by officials at Kibicho's Harambee House office.
He further disclosed that after the torture, close to two decades ago, doctors diagnosed him with permanent injuries.
