JUDGMENT
In a judgment, the subject of this appeal, delivered on 9th October 2019, the High Court (Njoki Mwangi, J.) found the appellant, Nation Media Group, liable for defamation for which the court awarded the respondent, Dr. Athuman N. Chiguzo, Kshs. 4,000,000 as general damages and Kshs. 1,500,000 as aggravated damages. Aggrieved, the appellant contends that the Judge erred in holding that the statements it published concerning the respondent were defamatory; that the Judge erred in awarding damages; and that the awards are, in any case, excessive.
The facts are that on 12th March 2015, the respondent, then an Executive Committee Member, Medical Services & Public Health at County Government of Kwale, accompanied the County Governor in a series of activities within the County one of which was the official opening of Katangani Early Childhood Education Centre where the respondent and his colleagues were seated on the left side of the podium. They stood up as the Governor rose to addre…