This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
Journalist Tony Mochama has expressed satisfaction with a court ruling that exonerated him of any wrongdoing in a sexual harassment case. The case, which dragged on for years, involved allegations made by two women, Shalja Patel and Prof Wambui Mwangi, at a lunch meeting in 2014.
Speaking to the Standard Digital, Mochama said the Sh9 million damages awarded to him by the court was not the main reason for his happiness. Instead, he was relieved that his reputation had been cleared of the 'ugly accusations' levelled against him.
“These are people who wanted to use my colour and dreads to destroy my reputation, by branding me a rapist just because I keep dreadlocks. It was a racial case,” Mochama said.
Magistrate Addah Obura ordered the two women to apologise to Mochama through the court within 14 days. Mochama had sued the two in 2014 after they accused him of sexual harassment at a lunch meeting at Prof Wambui’s home.
“I am also happy they will apologise to me after all the shenanigans, it is fulfilling,” Mochama said.
He narrated how the two women tried to push for an out of court settlement after realising they had no case against him but he stood firm. “I wanted to prove to my family, friends and all Kenyans that I was a good man and not a beast as I had been branded,” Mochama said.
