Nyali MP Mohammed Ali on Thursday gave the Star newspaper a 12-hour deadline to pull down an article that he termed as defamatory to his image.
Through a letter drafted by his lawyer, Paul Momany, the famed Jicho Pevu journalist stated that the article titled: Mohamed Ali Caught up in CDF Bursary Scam, as He fires Three contained false information with a malicious intention.
The article stated that Ali was under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-corruption commission over fraudulent dealings in his Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
"The EACC started investigations on Nyali MP over the irregular award of bursaries. Part of the Ksh25 Million that was issued is suspected to have been lost in the scam. Four private schools in the constituency were accomplices. And as EACC officials prepared evidence, Ali fired three CDF employees," the article read in part.
[caption caption="The article in question"]
[/caption]
In a letter to the Star, Ali stated that the article has dented his credit, profession, reputation adding that he had never been under any investigation by the EACC nor did he have any power to fire any personnel of the CDF committee.
The legislator issued three demands to the newspaper to resolve the matter.
"(1) You immediately pull down the offending article from your online digital platform. (2) You immediately issue an unconditional apology published in the same newspaper with more or equal prominence as the offending article and (3) You immediately admission of liability after which we shall delve into the issue of quantum payable to our client.
"Take notice that in the event we do not receive a response from you on the above demand within twelve hours from the date of this letter, our firm has mandatory instructions," he stated.
Ali took offence with the article as his advocate stated that article portrayed the MP as a fraudulent leader who wasn't of good moral standing.
"That he is working hard to deprive of Kenyans the good use of their taxpayer's money; that our client is to be culpable of the entire scandal and that our client has defrauded members of the public Ksh25,000,000," Momany added.
Ali faulted the newspaper for not counter checking their facts and correcting their version of events by consulting him despite him being available and reachable.
