NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 30- Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Karanja Kibicho has obtained court orders barring former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko from defaming or linking him to violence and unlawful activities.
The former city governor had sensationally claimed that the Principal Secretary was among government officials he planned violence with in the city, to paint the Raila Odinga led National Super Alliance in bad light following the disputed 2017 presidential election.
The orders were issued by Justice Mbogholi Msagha, days after PS Kibicho recorded a statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of injunction be and is hereby issued restraining the defendant (Sonko) whether by himself, servants, agents or whomsoever from uttering, publishing and or causing to be broadcast defamatory words of and or concerning the plaintiff relating to allegations that the plaintiff engages in criminal activities and that the plaintiff has an association with individuals involved in land grabbing and or any such unlawful activities,” the judge ordered.
The Principal Secretary is seeking justice following Sonko’s claims that they orchestrated violence together.
“He must prove all the allegations he has made against me,” Kibicho told journalists after a visit to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations where he recorded a statement.
“He better prepares some good lawyers because he has admitted to crime, and after he has dealt with that, he will have to deal with my character assassination case. It is not okay for Sonko to keep making wild allegations against people,” Kibicho said.
Sonko has been summoned to the DCI to record a statement on Monday.
But ahead of his date with detectives, he instructed his lawyers Friday to write to the Witness Protection Agency so as to protect his witnesses who will testify against Kibicho.
“Our clients claims to have abundance of evidence against the Interior and National Coordination Principal Secretary Mr Karanja Kibicho. In view of the nature and sensitivity of the case, we request as a matter of urgency, our clients be placed under the Witness Protection program,” reads a section of the letter to the agency penned by Khaminwa and Khaminwa Advocates.
Sonko made the claims at a rally in Waithaka at the last weekend, when he had accompanied Deputy President William Ruto to a church function.
He accused what he refers as the “deep state” of orchestrating violence by sponsoring youths to burn vehicles so as to blame Ruto’s “hustler nation”, a movement the Deputy President is consolidating to support his 2022 presidential bid.