Martha Karua faults Sh27m fine against Githongo

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua (pictured) has joined a growing list of individuals who have criticised a court ruling, which ordered anti-corruption crusader John Githongo to pay former minister Chris Murangaru Sh27 million.

Karua termed the ruling scary and alarming. The court awarded Murungaru the amount for defamation.

“The amount is far out of tune with the awards generally given by the courts for defamation and is on the face of it manifestly excessive as well as highly punitive especially in the circumstances of the case,” she said.

She said the award would likely scare potential whistleblowers and the media in the face of unprecedented number of corruption scandals involving billions.

Murungaru sued Githongo for defamation following the Anglo Leasing scandal where Mr Githongo implicated Murungaru and four other Government officials for orchestrating the scheme to loot billions from the public kitty.