This archive report was first published on 7 July 2021.
On July 7, 2021, an international company, Dinlas Pharma EPZ Limited, filed a lawsuit against Nation Media Group for defamation over articles published in a local daily.
The company, which imports Covid-19 vaccines from Russia, claims that the articles painted it as corrupt and damaged its reputation.
According to the company's lawyer, Donald Kipkorir, Dinlas Pharma EPZ Limited issued a cease and desist notice to Nation Media Group on April 7, demanding a retraction of the articles and an apology.
However, the company claims that Nation Media Group ignored the notice, leading to significant losses of $45 million (Sh4.8 billion).
The company entered into a contract with the government to supply the Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine to Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) and had a distribution agreement with Harleys Limited, a pharmaceutical distributor in Kenya.
As a result of the defamatory publication, the company claims that doubt was sowed in the public, and vaccination was stopped.
