STANDARD LIMITED & DEO OMONDI V. ANYASI OLUSESE

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

This appeal is in respect of the quantum of damages awarded to the respondent, ANYASI OLUSESE by the High Court in a suit for defamation in the form of libel, published by the appellants, in the 1st appellant’s newspaper, namely the East African Standard Newspapers- Sunday Standard Edition concerning the respondent.

Briefly, the facts of the case are that the appellant is a limited liability company registered under the Companies Act, Cap 486 and engaged in the business of printing, publishing, distribution and sale of the East African Standard Newspaper. The respondent is a retired civil servant having been a State Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers, and at the time under consideration was an ex officio member of the board of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya, (the Society) while the 2nd plaintiff in the High Court was the Society’s Administrator.

On 31st August 1997 and 13th September 1997 the appellant wrote and caused to be written and published in th…