Media locked out of Dominic Wamugunda’s child upkeep case

Catholic priest Dominic Wamugunda. [PSCU]

The High Court has barred the media from reporting on an appeal Catholic priest Dominic Wamugunda has filed challenging a lower courts order that he pays Sh25,000 for the upkeep of a minor he has denied fathering.

The decision by family division court judge Thande Mugure follows an argument by Wamugunda's lawyer, David Kirimi, that he does not know who is publicising the case in the media.

“The media and in particular The Standard and the Citizen are barred from publishing the proceedings herein,” Justice Mugure ruled.

“I do not know who is publishing the matter all over the media,” Kirimi told the court.

Father Wamugunda has disputed the paternity of the child a woman has claimed he sired.

At the heart of the case is whether Dominic Wangunda is the father of a 12-year-old girl. [Courtesy]

When the woman was asked by the judge how the media was getting the information about the case, she responded: "I am a pauper who does not have networks in the media."

Her lawyer Edwin Saluny argued it was unfair for the court to issue the orders to third parties, who were not in court.

Saluny said his client had nothing to do with the story that ran in the media this week.

“Our client is a pauper who is being supported by an NGO and has no such networks. The court cannot issue orders to third parties. Our client was not involved in this,” said Saluny.

At the heart of the case is whether Wangunda, who claims to be sick, is the father of the 12-year-old girl and if he should pay Sh25,000 maintenance as ordered by a magistrates court.