City tycoon sues Governor Mike Sonko over insults on leaked phone call recording

City billionaire goes after Sonko after governor's embarrassing insults

Mumbi Mutuko

January 14, 2019 12:27 PM

Gloves off as Marble arc owner goes after governor Sonko

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko

City billionaire and businessman, Mike Kamau has sued Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko after the latter showered insults on the former.

A leaked video of governor Sonko insulting Mr Kamau went viral on social media platforms after the city tycoon was accused of demolishing houses built on a plot he owns without notice.

Releasing the recording

In the lawsuit, Mr Kamau, the owner of the Marble Arch Hotel, accused the Nairobi City boss of releasing the recording of their phone conversation which tainted his image.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko Pulse Live Kenya

The businessman claims that after the phone call went viral on social media he was attacked on social media and his reputation damaged.

In his suit papers, Mr Kamau asked the court to order Governor Sonko to delete a Facebook post which he allegedly claims the businessman duped the court using forged documents.

Wrongly portrayed

Mr Kamau further argued that the phone call recording was meant to portray him as a violent and corrupt person.

Additionally, the city tycoon said that he was wrongly portrayed as having misled the court by use of fake documents in the Facebook post and phone call recording.

“The continued defamation has spread through social media like wildfire to the extent on December 20, 2018, the 1st plaintiff (Mr Kamau’s) name was trending on Twitter following the circulation of the (call recording) video,” Kamau said.

Demolitions gone south

Sonko had called Kamau to complain after a company associated with the city tycoon demolished houses built on the businessman's 20-acre parcel of land in Kayole estate.

Demolished rental houses in Nyamavilla Estate Kayole, Nairobi. Demolished rental houses in Nyamavilla Estate Kayole, Nairobi. Pulse Live Kenya

Muthithi Investments LTD associated with Mr Kamau had obtained a court order to evict occupants from the disputed plot of land.

Buildings in Nyama Villa Estate, worth at least Sh100 million, were knocked down mid last month leaving residents confused and reviving memories of the State House meeting almost 20 years ago.