Megascope Healthcare Kenya Limited has threatened to take legal action against Nation Media Group over the investigative report dubbed “Covid-19 Millionaires” which was aired on August 18.
According to the Medical Equipment Supplier Company, the report which suggested that the firm was one of the companies involved in reselling donations given by the Jack Ma Foundation for the fight against Covid-19 was false and full of malice.
Through lawyer Njoroge Regeru, the firm had given the media house until Friday to withdraw all the accusations made against them in programme failure to which legal action will be taken against the company.
“The programmes continue to air various allegations, insinuations and innuedos which were entirely false and which had no basis or foundation whatsoever,” claim Njoroge Regeru in the letter.
The medical equipment supplier company accuses the media house of airing allegations maliciously and recklessly without any regard for the very substantial loss, damage and injury that would be occasioned.
“The programme manifested extreme malice and ill will towards our client and as such was wholly lacking in professionalism and illustrated no attention to the principles of responsible and ethical journalism,” said lawyer Njoroge Regeru in the letter.
Megascope claims the words used in the programme in their natural and ordinary meaning meant that the firm is owned and run by highly placed persons who are frustrating the fight against corruption.
“The words used mean that the company is owned and run by persons who are fraudsters, looters and thieves and people who have no conscience whatsoever and who have heartlessly taken advantage of the covid-19 pandemic affecting Kenyans,” claimed lawyer Regeru.
According to the firm the words used means the entity is a member of a cabal of persons and entities who and which are self-focused in utter disregard of the rights and interests of Kenyans at large.
Megascope Kenya claims that it was not contacted and has at no time whatsoever been contracted by Kemsa to clear any consignment on its behalf.
“Our client did not receive any kits donated from China or anywhere else for distribution to Kenyans…Our client also did not receive any masks or any other material whatsoever from Jack Ma or any other donor for distribution to Kenyans,” claimed Regeru.
The firm claims the allegations by NTV have injured most grievously their reputation as it is a key player in the health sector in Kenya and in the region.
“As a natural and direct consequence of the foregoing , our client has been exposed and continues to be exposed to ridicule , humiliation , hatred, scandal ,odium and contempt in the eyes of all members of the society globally ,” stated Regeru.
The firm accuses NTV of not establishing the credibility of the person they relied on as the source of their allegations.
Megascope Kenya wants a full unreserved and unconditional retraction to be published in the same prominence manner as how the programme was published on each and every allegation made against it.
It also wants an immediate removal and expungement from all social media platforms of the contents of the program in any form or shape.
It also wants a full and unconditional admission in writing of liability for defamation whereafter the quantum of the damages payable to the firm will be addressed.
Failure to which the firm claims will institute legal proceedings against Nation Media Group where they will be seeking damages for libel and slander.
