The Machakos High Court has sentenced activist Boniface Mwangi to two months in prison for contempt of court in a defamation case filed by Minister of Tourism and Wildlife Alfred Mutua.
Judge Francis Rayola, who handed down the sentence, gave Mr Mwangi the option of paying a fine of Sh300,000 for his freedom.
Martha Karua, who represented Mr Mwangi, said they will appeal.
The judgment is the result of a case filed by lawyer J. Harrison Kinjayui and lawyers, on behalf of the Minister of Tourism Alfred Mutua, against the activist who named him in contempt of court.
Through his lawyers, Mutua went to court asking the activist to show cause why he should not be held in contempt of court for openly violating and violating the court order that prohibited him from publishing to the newspapers, and defaming the electronic or online media. material or about a Person.
“Mwangi defied the order on 6 and 9 January 2022 by posting content on his Twitter account against Governor Mutua,” Kinyaui told the court.
The activist, however, denied publishing defamatory statements but failed to appear in court twice in defamation cases.
He had been ordered to appear in court in person to show cause why he should not be imprisoned for violating court orders.
