Blogger Robert Alai barred from defaming hospital on social media
The High Court has stopped controversial blogger Robert Alai from publishing defamatory words against Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Centre Limited and its founder Shwarup Mishra.
Justice Msagha Mbogholi granted Mediheal temporary orders after the hospital argued that Alai has been spreading false information about the hospital alleging that it is a conduit for illegal trafficking of human organs.
Justice Msagha certified the case as urgent and directed that Alai be served with the court papers ahead of the hearing of the case on April 22.
Mishra says the allegations by Alai are severely denting the image of the hospital locally and internationally.
He said the posts on Facebook and Twitter have led to a panic among current and potential patients, investors, partners, financiers, and donors resulting in loss of business and opportunities which is hurting the hospital irreparably.
“Unless a restraining order is issued, Alai will continue to spread malicious falsehoods about the hospital leading to economic loss, and a dented image which for a hospital is quite critical.”
He said the tweets were accessible to over 1.6 million people who are his followers on his twitter account and millions others through retweets and forward, more than 546,000 on his Facebook account, citations, and republications.
He said the posts were published in a sensational manner so as to garner more followers on his social media sites and thus profit economically from the Plaintiff’s public embarrassment and scandal.
Mishra says he is a distinguished man who has built a solid reputation and cannot engage in smuggling or trafficking of body organs.
He says he has never engaged in trafficking or smuggling of human organs.
Mishra, who is also the Messes MP says Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Center Limited has hospitals in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.
In an affidavit, Mishra says Alai was deliberate, reckless, and negligent in publishing the offending posts.
Through Lawyer Guandaru Thuita, he says Alai has relentlessly engaged in the act of maliciously publishing through his social media accounts information regarding him and senior management of engaging in human organ trafficking and smuggling as well as oppression of employees.
“Alai published the said defamatory posts in a sensational manner so as to garner more followers on his social media sites and thus profit economically from the ensuing hospitals public embarrassment,”
He said the publication has ruined the hospital’s reputation as an honest business entity has been brought to a ruin and has suffered and continue to suffer loss and damage.