Court dismisses case against Eldoret rights activist in jobs scam

An Eldoret court has dismissed with costs a petition filed by an agency at the centre of controversial overseas jobs and its director Judy Chepchirchir against a local human rights activist, Kimutai Kirui.

The petition that was filed on December 16, 2022 sought a permanent injunction restraining the Centre Against Torture right activist from publishing defamatory articles against the Recruitment  agency that is under  probe Chepchirchir regarding the activities of First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Limited.

The petition also sought orders of the court to have the activist pull down or delete any published articles on social media platforms or elsewhere regarding the dubious dealings of the agency that have led to over 8,000 youth losing millions of shillings having been promised job opportunities overseas.

First Choice and its director also pleaded with the court for general aggravated and punitive damages/costs and interest against the activist.

However, Senior Resident Magistrate P.N Areri dismissed the petition with costs noting that the application did not establish sufficient grounds for gagging the activist by a temporary injunction.

The magistrate further noted that the human rights activist had reported the recruitment agency to other relevant government authorities mandated with protecting members of the community from fraud.

“In my view there was no justification from the plaintiff and issuing such orders will violate his right to free speech and a violation of the rights of the members of the community to information,” ruled Areri.

Read the judgment: “I therefore dismiss the application dated 16 December 2022 with costs to the defendant.: He added; “The Senate standing  committee established under Senate  standing orders 228(3) has  also  directed  the  Inspector General of  Police

and  Cabinet  Secretary Ministry of  Labour Florence Bore to appear before it over the serious  allegations raised by Kimutai Kirui.”