Babu Owino now wants public apology from NTV
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili also known as Babu Owino has given NTV a two-day ultimatum to issue a public apology regarding a story it aired about Felix Orinda famously known as DJ Evolve.
According to documents, the MP through his advocates Okatch and Partner,s has threatened to take legal action against NTV for the story it ran about the DJ whom the MP is accused of shooting and seriously injuring.
Through his lawyers, Babu termed the NTV’s story as an attempt to smear his name and lower his dignity in the society as DJ Evolve had never indicated that he was indeed shot by the MP, neither had he recorded a statement with the DPP on the same.
“We have listened and watched the said story over and over and indeed at no point has the said Felix Orinda said that he was shot by our client,” the documents read in part.
Mr Orinda has never recorded a statement
“In fact, even before your news item, the said Felix Orinda has never ever stated in any form whatsoever that he was shot by our client. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has further confirmed that in fact, Mr Orinda has never recorded a statement on the matter.”
Apart from a written apology, the legislator also demands a public apology aired on the national television during its prime time, failure to which he will seek legal redress against NTV.
“Our instructions are to demand from you which hereby do that: You run an appropriate apology in the prime-time news on your television channel (and) you give an appropriate written apology to our client. You admit liability for the slanderous libellous statements following which we shall proceed to address you on damages,” he says.
“Take notice that if we do not hear from you within two days from the date of this letter, we have strict and peremptory instructions to institute legal proceedings against you for slanderous and libellous defamation and also infringing on our client’s Constitutional right to a fair hearing and to be presumed innocent. We shall seek appropriate remedies which will include but not limited to aggravated and exemplary damages as well as costs of the action without any further reference to yourselves,” reads the letter.
The recent developments came just days after NTV aired a story about Orinda’s health condition on Monday, June 29, 2020, showing the DJ speaking for the first time since he was reportedly shot by the former University of Nairobi student leader.
The MP is out on bond.