Citizen TV Forced To Issue Defamatory Apology To School Principal Lebbled As TSC Cartel
Kenya’s leading media outlet, Citizen Tv, has been forced to apologize to high school principal Mr Alfred Omaiyo for defamatory remarks they made in 2019.
On the 31st of March 2019, Citizen TV aired an investigation titled “CHEATING TEACHERS | Agent of conning cartel reveals details.”
In the expose, allegations were made against Mr Alfred Omaiyo the Principal of Kameji Mixed Secondary School, a man labelled as the leader of the cartels in Nyanza defrauding jobless teachers desperate for TSC jobs.
The High Court determined that these allegations were defamatory of Mr Omaiyo and that he is entitled to an apology from Citizen TV.
Citizen Tv, through Wahiga, expressed deep regret that the allegations levelled against Alfred were false and thus extended an unreserved apology to him.
Citizen TV claimed the ‘well-organized cartel’ operating in Migori and Homabay counties collected thousands of shillings from teachers, presented them with fake TSC papers, and even posted them to schools.
According to the citizen television report, one of the school cooks, a groundskeeper, and the school principal, who was a victim of ‘delocalization of school heads,’ were also charged.
Mr Yassion Ombado, the school cook, decided to spill the beans claiming his life was in danger after naming those involved.
According to Mr Ombado, both the school principal, his deputy were involved in the duping business.
During the investigation, Citizen TV discovered that the cartel in question would ask for Ksh80,000 or more depending on where the teachers wanted to be posted and the qualification levels.
In response, the Teachers Service Commission, through its communication department, stated that despite the numerous public alerts, there are many cartels throughout the country.
This investigation irritated Alfred, so he decided to seek redress in court. And, in court proceedings that began in 2019, it was determined that the remarks made about him were defamatory and false.
Early this year, a cartel believed to have swindled unsuspecting teachers millions of shillings on the pretext that they would be offered employment opportunities, promotions and transfers to renowned established schools were uncovered by detectives.
Four suspects were arrested in connection with the scam. The cartel has been infiltrating the Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) database, working in cahoots with employees in crucial departments, within the headquarters of the country’s teachers employer.
In a letter written by the Commission’s CEO Dr Nancy Macharia on May 21, 2021, inviting DCI to conduct detailed investigations into the syndicate, Dr Macharia revealed how fraudsters had opened several fake Facebook accounts in her name, and defrauded unsuspecting teachers millions of shillings, on the promise that she would offer them employment opportunities at a fee.
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Detectives further uncovered that the target of the con recently graduated teachers whose chances of being hired are slim.
With the offer of securing a teaching position ahead of their seniors who graduated earlier, they quickly part with the money demanded, ranging from Sh100,000 to Sh400,000.
