SIAYA, Kenya – A Siaya court has ordered local blogger Michael Oduor, popularly known as Mike Ochieng, to pay Sh3.3 million in damages for defaming Siaya County Public Service Board CEO Wilfred Nyagudi.
In a ruling delivered Tuesday by Resident Magistrate Jacob Mkala, the court awarded Sh3 million in general damages and an additional Sh300,000 in exemplary damages.
The blogger was also directed to remove all defamatory content — including memes, images, and posts — from his Facebook and WhatsApp accounts.
The case stems from a series of social media posts published in early 2024 in which Oduor accused the county board of corruption, nepotism, and irregular hiring practices.
However, the court found that the allegations were unsubstantiated and motivated by personal grievance.
“The defendant failed to present credible evidence to support his claims, which appeared to have been posted after his unsuccessful job application to the same office,” Magistrate Mkala stated.
Oduor had argued that his exposé was in the public interest, but the court dismissed this defense, ruling that the posts amounted to a malicious smear campaign lacking legal justification.
As part of the judgment, the court ordered the blogger to issue a public apology to Mr. Nyagudi on the same platforms where the defamatory statements were published.
This is the second defamation loss for Oduor in under a year. In March, the High Court found him liable for defaming North Uyoma MCA Booker Bonyo and imposed a Sh20 million penalty — a decision Oduor is currently appealing.
