The High Court in Nairobi has awarded former police officer Linda Okello Ksh.6.5 million in damages in a case where she sued the Standard Media Group for a photo published in 2014.
Ms Okello sued the media house, its subsidiary publication The Nairobian, and two of its journalists for publishing a side profile photo of the policewoman on duty in a tight skirt.
Through her lawyer Tom Ojienda, she accused the media house of improperly degrading her by the improper sharing of her image and likeness and the use of her image for commercial gain and or publicity.
In a ruling dated August 17, Justice Asenath Ongeri ordered Standard Group, The Nairobian newspaper, Pkemoi Ngenoh and Charles Otieno to pay Okello Ksh.6.5 million for defamation.
“Judgment be and is hereby entered in favour of the plaintiff against the defendants jointly and severally in the sum of Kshs. Six million, five hundred thousand shillings (6,500,000) together with costs of this suit and interest at court rates from the date of this judgment until payment in full,” court papers read.
Okello’s photo at the time caused a stir on social media as Kenyans weighed in on the appropriateness of her dressing. She also became the subject of memes widely circulated online.
Two years later, in 2016, the then corporal was demoted to a constable over allegations of graft during a crackdown on bribe-taking police officers in Kiambu County.
Okello as a result sued the then police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet for wrongful demotion. She claimed she was never given an opportunity to respond.
