Eldoret Court deals blow to First Choice agency and it’s Director Judith!
-there was no justification from the plaintiff and issuing such orders will violate his right to free speech-
Human Right Activist Kimutai Kirui at the Eldoret High Court
An Eldoret Court has dismissed with costs a petition filed by First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Limited and Its director Judy Chepchirchir against an Eldoret Based Human Right Activist, Kimutai Kirui.
The Petition that was filed 16th Dec 2022 sought a permanent injunction restraining the Human right activist from publishing defamatory articles against the Recruitment agency that is under probe and its director Judy regarding its activities.
The Petition also sought orders of the court to have the activist pull down and 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 having established the applicant did not establish sufficient grounds for gagging the Activist by a temporary injunction
The magistrate further noted the Human right 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” Said Areri.
I therefore dismiss the application dated16th Dec 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 and social protection to appear before it over the serious allegations raised by Mr Kimutai Kirui.
The IG has also been ordered to avail a comprehensive report over numerous concerns raised in the Petition regarding mistreatment of the said youth by the Police in Uasin Gishu County.
The Final Report of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly Ad-Hoc committee released on the First choice Recruitment and Consultancy, indicated that Judith enjoyed unlawful protection from National Security Agencies, in particular, Mr. Ndhiwa – Directorate Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO) Turbo Sub-County and Mr. Philip Maswai, Police Officer attached to Eldoret Central Police.
The Committee deduced that she received colossal amounts of money in the form of application fees and other incidental fees. The Committee further observed that with not an ounce of guilt or a sense of integrity or honesty Ms. Judy Jepchirchir, Director, First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy unjustly enriched herself with unsuspecting people’s money, money that was raised by selling assets, mobilizing harambees, loans and savings.
The two senior government officers are expected to appear before the Standing committee early next Month.
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