Sugar importer and businessman Jaswant Rai has gone after the Daily Nation with a notice to sue the publication over damning reporting that he was behind the illegal imports of the commodity.
In the article published on July 1 titled: Sweet Secrets - Jaswant Rai, his businesses, political ties and the shocking case of State capture, the newspaper described Rai as a shrewd businessman who had deployed tricks to stay ahead of the game.
"Welcome to the world of Jaswant Rai, the man at the centre of the raging controversy over sugar importation that is threatening to tear apart the Jubilee coalition.
Rai, the owner of a string of multi-billion-shilling businesses ranging from wood manufacturing, sugar milling to cooking oil and soap manufacturing, is an old hand in the game of business competition, state manipulation, arm twisting, muscle flexing, litigation and all other tricks that enable shrewd businessmen to thrive and stay ahead of the game" reads part of the article on the Nation.
[caption caption="West Kenya Sugar Company proprietors Jaswant and Tes Rai at the Kakamega High Court"]
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The article was one of three that Rai took issue with stating that they portrayed him as a mastermind of the importation of illegal sugar that is believed to be contaminated.
Through his lawyers Oraro & Company Advocates, Rai disclosed that; “We find it unfortunate, to say the least, that a newspaper with the history and reputation of avowed commitment to promoting rights and integrity in governance can lend itself to such an obvious machination.
“The issue that baffles our client is why a newspaper of your standing can decide to pursue a partisan position and unprecedented character assassination on an issue of such grave national importance,” read the notice.
Among the demands in the notice include an unconditional apology within seven days and the articles be removed from circulation as well as a retraction and correction of underlying facts.
“Admit liability for the damage caused to our client by the defamatory article... we shall engage you on the issue of compensation for the damage to our client’s reputation and for any loss it has and/or may have suffered.
“Take notice that unless you comply with the demands herein before or within the next seven days, our mandatory instruction is to file a suit at your own risk as to costs and other incidentals,” the lawyers maintained.
Earlier in the week, the newspaper issued an apology to Deputy President William Ruto after using a photo that implied that the DP was a close associate of Mr Rai.
[caption caption="The top image of the Sunday Nation which had misrepresented the DP, MP Aden Duale and Mr Jas Bedi"]
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