UoN Student Devastated as Court Slaps Him with KSh 7.5m Fine in Prophet Owour Driver's Case

• Kevin Ndung'u, a law student at the University of Nairobi, faced turmoil after a court ordered him to pay KSh 7.5 million to Prophet Owour’s driver
• The case began after Ndung'u posted comments on social media about driver Benard Kagia, who then filed a lawsuit seeking compensation
• Following the ruling, Ndung'u told the court that he lacked any assets that could be sold or used to pay the hefty compensation awarded to Kagia

Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya

Uasin Gishu: A third-year University of Nairobi student's world turned upside down after a shocking court ruling slammed him with a staggering KSh 7.5 million payment to Prophet Owour’s driver.

Why was UoN student fined KSh 7.5m?

Kevin Ndung'u found himself in his predicament after an Eldoret court found him guilty in a cyberbullying case involving Benard Kagia, the driver to Prophet Owour of the Repentance and Holiness Church.

Daily Nation reported that Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyan ruled in favour of Kagia, awarding him KSh 7.5 million in a defamation case against Ndung'u, who is known for his active presence on social media.

Court documents revealed that Ndung'u, a university student, made comments questioning Kagia’s family values, prompting Kagia to file a libel case.

Kagia called the third-year law student’s comments harmful and defamatory. The magistrate concurred, ruling in favour of Kagia.

"I accordingly find that the plaintiff is entitled to damages for defamation, including the cost of the suit, amounting to KSh7,512,700. Defamatory statements made through online platforms carry serious legal consequences, and all users of digital spaces should be aware of the legal implications of such remarks," the magistrate stated.

Did Ndung'u ask court to give him time to raise KSh 7.5 m

Ndung'u, visibly shaken, told the court he had no assets to liquidate to cover the fine.

He also asked for 30 days to explore options for raising the money, including seeking help from his parents and other family members.

"Please grant me 30 days to go home and discuss with my parents and relatives how to pay the fine and compensate the plaintiff as ordered. I have no personal assets since everything at home belongs to my parents," Ndung'u asked the court.

2 UoN students charged with defrauding foreigner

In a separate incident, two university students appeared in a Nairobi court, charged with orchestrating a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that defrauded a foreign investor of millions of shillings.

Jesus Godoua Imedji, a student from the Central African Republic, and his co-accused Judith Mbatha Nzioka, both enrolled at the University of Nairobi, were arraigned at Milimani Law Courts on charges of conspiracy to defraud and obtaining money by false pretences.

The duo, along with unidentified accomplices who were not present in court, allegedly convinced Tuyishime Grace to transfer $116,000 USDT (approximately KSh 15.36 million) on April 30.

The suspects were accused of falsely representing themselves as capable of assisting Grace in cryptocurrency trading on the Binance platform.

Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Caroline Nyaguthii, the accused pleaded not guilty. Their lawyer asked the court for favourable bail terms, noting their student status, fixed residences, and no history of flight risk.

The court set the next hearing for May 28 to determine bond and bail conditions.

Source: TUKO.co.ke