Wetangula to sue BBC for defamation

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has now threatened to sue International Media house BBC for defamation.

This follows reports published by BBC accusing Wetangula of recieving bribes from cigarette manufacturing Company British American Tobacco (BAT).

Tongaren Mp who is also FORD Kenya Secretary General Simiyu Eseli has accused the  BBC of publishing the report despite the senator denying claims that he received bribes to block Tobacco related laws and reports that in 2012 he was one of the MPs who allegedly received ‘favors’ from BAT among them purchase of a business class ticket to London.

Wetangula backed by his 20 lawyers among them James Orengo now says he will go to court on Monday to sue BBC.

This comes even as a British newspaper has linked Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua to claims of bribery by British American Tobacco (BAT), a claim Karua has denied.

The report claims that Karua received about 7 million shillings bribe from bat in a bid to block a rival firm from winning a multi million shillings contract.

However, Karua in a response through her lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, says she was aware of a donation to her campaign from an individual affiliated with BAT, but refutes the claim that it was in exchange for government favors.

The report claims that in return for the donations, paid in cash via a middle man, BAT obtained key confidential Kenyan Revenue Authority (KRA) documents outlining the £100m five-year contract for new technology designed to stamp out tobacco smuggling.

They then had the contract deliberately delayed while they secretly lobbied to get their own system chosen.

Karua, in her response through her lawyer Gitobu Imanyara – says she remembers a two million shilling donation towards her election campaign, from a businessman named Paul, affiliated with BAT.

“I am aware that a businessman whose name I remember as Paul affiliated with BAT made what I understood to be a personal donation to my Presidential campaign. At no time did I ever discuss the award or influence of contracts/tenders whether at KRA or indeed within any other government entity with Paul or anyone else,” said Karua.

Karua becomes the second politician to be linked to the BAT bribery scam.